Enter the Fein
by ToxicParalysis
Summary: Crash-landed on an alien planet where it seems everything is toxic to humans, John Egbert must find a way to adapt and survive. He will soon find out that though his ship appears to be devoid of all human lifeforms, he is very much not alone.
1. Ch 01: Reboot

Enter the Fein

Disclaimer: I do not own Homestuck.

Warnings: Violence, Death

Pairings: ?

Plot: Crash-landed on an alien planet where it seems everything is toxic to humans, John Egbert must find a way to adapt and survive. He will soon find out that though his ship appears to be devoid of all human lifeforms, he is very much not alone.

* * *

Ch 01: Reboot

John awoke with a start, cold and shivering.

He gasped for air, fog blurring his vision, ears ringing as if he were shell-shocked. He reached out, wiping with gloved palms at the thick glass, trying to clear enough of the condensation away that he could make out what was before him. He was dripping wet within his bodysuit, no doubt due to the cold contrasting with his body-heat while trapped inside the once air-tight chamber, though now it's stability was obviously compromised. There was a large gash in the metal above him, green-tinged water dripping down and pooling around his boots and gathering at his feet. He reigned in his breathing, hearing returning and beginning to pick up on small sounds. Beeping, chimes here and there, then a female voice, mechanical and familiar.

 _Please remain calm. Oxygen levels compromised._

John coughed and blinked to clear his vision, hands moving around the interior of the podspace, fumbling through the dimly lit life-canister in search of an oxygen mask. He found one after a few moments, shoving the mask over his mouth and nose and flicking the filter settings to operational. He took in a deep breath, closing his eyes and resting back against the padding of the seat he was securely fastened into. He shook his head, trying to clear the ringing still lingering in his ears, then focused on the announcement echoing in the main room outside of the canister that held him still.

 _Please remain calm, bay doors compromised. All personnel proceed with evacuation protocol. Please remain calm. Oxygen saturation at 67%. Regulatory masks required for further operations. Proceed to the nearest exit once masks are in place, seek out officers for further instruction upon evacuation. Please remain calm, bay doors compromised. All personnel proceed-_

John shifted his arms, searching for the release catch across his chest and waist, finally looping his long fingers through the confines and releasing both belts at once. The clasps made a sharp sound as they came free and allowed him to slump forward, John coughing violently into the mask until his breathing evened out once more. How long had he breathed in the tainted air? What impurities had managed to sink into the soft wet tissue of his lungs before he'd regained consciousness. He grabbed for his goggles, sliding them down over his eyes and pressing the scanner along the right-side temple, the display focus popping up in a wave of red and blue. The sights took a moment to clear his vision before rebooting, and then finally he could see clearly again. The fog before him was dotted with neon blue sensors, reading, evaluating, filing away data in memorybanks for later. He reached out, searching across the edge of the glass until finally the pod surface cracked and shifted upwards and out, opening the life-canister enough that John could climb forward and squeeze through the opening. Something was blocking the door from opening all the way. A beam from the fractured hull? No it was another life-canister, coated in something dark, slimy. The pod was covered in condensation and...moss? Some strange kind of moss he didn't recognize. His scanner was quickly recording data, his eyes flicking up towards the light nearby pooling in from the ceiling where the top of the room had been punctured and foreign lifeforms had breached the interior cabin. He felt dizzy, coughing again to try and clear the microbes from his lungs, and then he made his way towards the first set of doors to his right, away from the too bright light beaming down from outside the chamber.

His steps were shaky, heavy and dizzying, but he managed to work his way away from the moss covering the pod where he'd awoken and towards the nearest wall, coughing at the sight of the spores in the air. The other pods nearby were empty. Some broken. But no bodies that he could make out, what was reassuring at least. They'd obviously crashed, somewhere unknown judging from the way his goggles couldn't seem to focus on anything around his pod too long without beginning to add new data upon inspection, green and yellow text popping up now and then under plantlife that he glanced across. He turned back towards the frame of the doors nearby, searching for the hand-panel to open access to the corridor beyond. The hand-panel was...covered in some sort of slime. The same slime that had been dripping into his life-canister when he'd awoken. It looked like it belonged on a set from Ghostbusters, not a federation ship. He swallowed, licking his lips. Chapped, also covered in some weird tasting residue. Great. He'd wash his face as soon as he got somewhere airtight and could take his mask off. He wondered fleetingly how many days it took for this unspecified moss to grow like this...everywhere. How long had there been an oxygen leak? How long had he been asleep? His hand hovered over the panel a few inches, and he spoke his name into the intercom.

"Biome Researcher Johnathan Egbert, requesting access to medical bay."

The door-reader was quiet, not validating the words he'd spoken. He frowned, glancing around for a moment before deciding to tug off his glove, and then reached out again, hand hovering over the slime between his skin and the reading panel. Fuck it, he was probably already infected by whatever he'd been breathing in anyway. And he was heading straight to medical. He already knew this was going to feel gross. He hissed, clearly displeased as he slapped his hand unceremoniously down upon the thick slime, groaning and repeating his words again, a bit more forceful this time. The hand-panel chirped and whirred before the seal of the double doors creaked loudly then opened with a burst of green spores and splitting moss, John taking a step back for a moment then forward again when the doors opened fully to allow him inside. He took a few steps into the dim hallway, the doors sealing behind him, his boots thudding loudly along the empty corridor as he continued forward. He'd walked this path a hundred times, but for some reason now it seemed eerie, haunted. He'd never seen it so empty. Where was everyone? He steadied himself after a small coughing fit, then checked the oxygen levels in his sights and slid the breathing mask down his chin to settle around his throat. He spoke into the air again, accessing the voice recognition system hardwired into the ship's mainframe.

"Rose, what is the status of the ship's location and damage upon impact?"

The hallway was silent, the lights flickering dimly, though bright enough John could see the dust settling in the air as he continued to step forward through the chamber.

"Rose! Status report! What is the ship's current location?"

Nothing. He frowned, glancing down at the slime across his right palm with a little wrinkle of his nose. It smelled old and musty in here, and the sharp tang of the slime was making him sick. He wanted out of this suit, he wanted fresh water, a shower, and meds to kill his splitting headache and ward off whatever foreign microbodies had soaked into his skin and gotten into his lungs. And his eyes. As if his eyesight wasn't bad enough already. He exhaled roughly, coughing once, twice, before heading purposefully down the hall and forking left to the med-bay. He stopped short. There wasn't a hallway there - only rock to greet him. A sealed-off shaft of rock, crumbling with sediment his goggles didn't recognize, stirring in the air with his movement as he backed away from the impasse and turned again, trying the fork to the right. The damage to the ship...surely it wasn't catastrophic. Surely...there were others here somewhere. He couldn't have been the only one left. The only one...who'd survived? He picked up the pace, going the long way around the food bay and lounge room of the nearest docks full circle to the medical bay beyond. When he reached the door and pressed his slimy digits against the hand-panel they took a moment to read his fingerprint signature before opening up with a whir and happy chirps.

 _Welcome, Biome Researcher John Egbert. Access to Medical Bay Three granted. Med Bay Staff will be with you shortly. Please, have a seat while you wait. Thank you for your service._

John breathed a sign of relief, stepping into the brightly lit chamber and glancing around. The air in here held a medicinal scent, like rubbing alcohol and stainless steel. He began pulling off his other glove and shrugging out of his jacket, then went to his collar, tugging off layers of protective fabrics, begin the process of disassembling his bodysuit one layer at a time. He piled the clothes on the floor beside the nearest chair and glancing up towards the intercom in the center of the room, hanging from the domed ceiling. He tossed his breathing mask and goggles down atop of the pile, running his clean hand through his damp hair. He'd pick up sanitized equipment after the exam, before continuing to explore the shipwreck. Clearing his throat after a short cough, he addressed the intercom as he had tried to before, when she'd been unresponsive.

"There you are Rose, I was worried you weren't with me."

There was a small pause after John spoke before the computer voice chimed back in greeting,

 _I am always with you, John. I am here to assist all federally regulated personnel while aboard the Federation Starship Mondrogosa._

John chuckled softly, stepping over to the room division-bar nearby and stepping past the small waist-high door into the room beyond. He found the sink and washed his hands thoroughly, then stepped into the small shower and shrugged off his undershorts before reaching for the water and groaning with relief as warm water began raining down from above. Fuck yes, this would do nicely. He showered quickly but thoroughly, watching the slime-tinged soap bubbles circling the drain before shutting off the water valve. He stepped out, grabbing a clean towel and wrapping it around his waist while he walked from the shower to the lockers nearby, tugging out a clean pair of patient attire - white lounge pants and a white shirt. It was clean, and that's all he cared about. He managed to find clean socks too, and tugged on a pair of shoes that were almost his size, probably left behind by one of the doctors after shift-end. He returned to the main room, inspecting his right hand and under his nail-bed, then went to the mirror to check on his eyes, his mouth. He frowned a little, his eyes were ringed with green around his usually bright-blue irises. That couldn't be good.

"Rose."

 _Yes, John._

"I don't think anyone is coming. Can you walk me through what I need to do to treat myself?"

The computer chirped softly while calculating a response, soft beeping echoing from above.

 _Unable to locate any medical staff in the nearby vicinity. Request to override privileges of medical staff to obtain treatment granted. Apologies for the delay, John Egbert. You may proceed to the purification chamber._

A second set of doors opened to the right of the main waiting room, allowing John into the area where medical staff tended to the injured while aboard the starship. John stepped inside and looked around, finding one of the instruments he knew the nurses tended to use to diagnose various ailments, and then stepped further into the room towards the full-body glass chamber surrounded by computer monitors.

"Alright Rose, I'm here. What do you want me to do first?"

 _Begin by simply scanning your retina and pulse points. First the throat, then the wrist. If necessary, access to further arteries may be requested by personel. Your cooperation is appreciated._

"Might as well for good measure."

He followed her instructions, clasping the hand-scanner and bringing it across both eyes, then down his throat on both sides to get a good reading. Then he held the device to his left wrist, and then finally tugged at the waistband of his pants and shoved the device down along his thigh before bringing it up to his eyes again so he could read the display across the back of the scanner. The device read the results over the next few moments then chimed softly and lit up with a few indicators before speaking in a soft, soothing voice.

 _Contamination detected. Alien antibodies must be eradicated from internal organs and blood vessels immediately to avoid further complications. Please step inside the purification chamber to undergo full system analysis and treatment._

John huffed softly, then set the scanner down and eyed the glass chamber warily. He hated those things, always made him feel claustrophobic. Then again, so did his life-canister, and who knew how long he'd been in there until he'd finally regained consciousness.

"I should just get it over with, then go find whoever else is awake."

He steeled himself then stepped into the chamber, soles of his shoes tapping lightly against the tile along the bottom, before he pulled the glass door shut and centered himself in the middle of the giant scanner. A green light moved 360 degrees around his body, lighting up with yellow lights along his eyes, his cheeks, his throat, and centered over his chest. Another light indicator, orange, hovered over his hand. The hand he'd planted in the slime before.

 _John Egbert. Please stand still and await decontamination of foreign microbes. Please remember to breathe evenly while the procedure commences with internal purifications. Once all symptoms read green and vitals have stabilized, the chamber will open. You may feel nauseous, and experience vertigo, after these proceedings. To confirm treatment of alien contamination - verbal recognition and authorization is required. Do you consent to medical purification? Please state your name for the record._

John inhaled softly, readying himself for the stinging pain of the purification to come. He was a biome researcher, he'd done this before. This wasn't the first time he'd encountered alien plantlife, but the proceedure sucked just as much every time.

"I hereby grant my consent to medical personnel, please continue with recommended treatment. Johnathan Egbert, confirmation of request to purify alien contamination. You have my full understanding and express consent."

 _Express consent accepted, procedure will begin in ten seconds. Recorded date for purification procedure request - John Egbert, Biome Researcher S Class, Starship Mondrogosa - Stardate_ _0900-572-983-799_ _\- Please stand still and remember to continue to breathe evenly while chamber fills with purifying agent. You may experience some dizziness until chamber clears-_

"Wait..."

John glanced up towards the top of the canister as green mist began expanding down through the air, saturating the oxygen with aerosol medicines meant to drive out any foreign contaminants and heal any damage to healthy tissue. He coughed a few times, then swallowed and glanced around the chamber, trying to remember to breathe normally and allow his lungs to absorb the medicine they needed. Surely he hadn't heard the date right. Nine-hundred...billion? 0900-572-983-799? That was...there was no way that could be the stardate. There was no fucking way. He hissed softly as the agent descended upon him, burning his eyes and throat as it healed away the tint of green that had been there before. The procedure took what felt like an eternity to complete, but as soon as the chamber cleared and the door opened again John was out in a heartbeat - searching through the nearby cabinets until he found what he had been looking for. Spectacles, with a built in retinal scanner. Like his goggles, only more functional for everyday use. He pushed the brim up the bridge of his nose and fixed the hologram lenses before his eyes, touching the scanner at his temple point and watching red and blue flicker before his vision once more.

"Rose. What is today's current stardate?"

 _The current stardate is_ _0900-572-983-799_ _._

John stood, dumbfounded, checking the text in the corner of his vision. The scanner had read his request as well, and supplied him the same information. The date stood there in blue text, flashing twice to indicate new information had entered the scanner database.

"Rose, when is the last time you made contact with someone from starship, before you spoke to me just now?"

He thought back to the chamber where he'd awoken, the moss that had covered everything, the hull breach, the stones blocking the path to the med-bay he'd headed to before. The intercom system above-head was quiet for a long time, as if searching through database records. Then finally, she spoke.

 _Last known contact with federation personnel - recorded stardate 0309-469-311. Contact made with Engineering Personnel Systems Operator Dirk Strider. Recorded message available for playback. Would you like to replay this message?_

"Oh my god."

John's heart felt as if it were about to beat out of his chest. His face felt flushed, his hand clasped over his chest, his sight fading in and out. A red alert popped up in the corner of his vision and a warning beep sounded from the scanner against his temple.

 _Distressed vitals detected. Recommended course of action - attempt to level breathing pattern immediately. Failure to comply will result in oxygen deprivation, consequences include failure to remain conscious, possible injury upon collapse. John, correct your breathing pattern immediately-_

John couldn't focus, couldn't think. The last date he remembered was 0309-469-295. That was the date they'd set off from Earth to the space colonies off of Jupiter's moons. He had a station on Ganymede, a specialized job waiting for him there. They were going to work on strengthening the harvests among the moons, regulate the water filtration and renewal systems, the soil regeneration levels, the oxygen output from the trees in the newly harbored greenhouse atmosphere. The ship...they should have arrived by -298, but this recording...was from thirteen years later?

 _John, please comply with suggested corrective measures. Failure to comply with result in-_

"Play the message! Play back the message, Rose."

 _Distressed vitals and oxygen level readings suggest breathing patterns should be regulated immediately before-_

"Play it now!"

The computer hesitated, and John took a few deep breaths to calm himself before finding a seat and slumping down into the soft white upholstery, shivering violently with shock now that his legs didn't need to support him. There had to be an explanation for all of this. There had to be...some mistake.

 _Vitals showing signs of stabilizing. Attempt to play back record from aforementioned stardate in ten seconds. Record left by Dirk Strider, recipient status directed towards Dave Strider. No privacy locks detected in mainframe. Playback beginning now._

The hologram lenses before his spectacles panned out wide to create a floating monitor, and a man came into view. A blonde with a scruffy beard, cheeks hollowed out as if severely malnourished, dark goggles cracked on one side and stretched taut across his too sharp features. There was blood in the corner of his mouth, as if he'd been punched or had gotten into a fight earlier but had stopped the bleeding for now. He had scrapes along his exposed arms and shoulders, his clothes looked ragged, torn. He was a shell of a human being. John stared at him in horror, hand covering his mouth. He was going to be sick.

 _"Hey Davey. Don't have much time now, but I wanted to leave you something, incase you ever find your way back to the starship again._ "

John focused on the man, the gruff tone in his voice, broken by coughing now and then. He wasn't wearing a mask, and John was beginning to notice the tint of green along the corner of his mouth as well. It made his blood look too dark, nearly purple. It caused John's insides to twist uncomfortably, that sick feeling only growing stronger the longer the man spoke. _This could have been me, if I had woken up sooner...why hadn't I woken up sooner? When Dirk did? What happened to us...?_ His heartbeat was too loud in his ears, drowning out the words being replayed over the scanner, but he closed his eyes for a moment and drew a deep, shuddering breath, grounding himself back to reality. When he looked up again, the man was smiling. He looked happy, speaking to the computer. He looked resolved somehow. Complete.

 _"I just wanted to say, I looked for you. I tried to find you for ages, Davey. I looked across the jungle, hunting down pieces of this fuckin' ship, hoping I'd stumble across your pod one of these days. It's been years now Davey, years since the rest of us woke up and went searching for any survivors. But now...we're out of food and water. Out of time."_

The audio cut out for a moment, and the picture flickered and faded in and out before returning to the playback.

 _"-oxygen levels are too low, people are fading now in and out of their minds. There's no one coming for us Dave. We're all alone out here. I just wanted you to know I tried to find you, little bro. I tried to find you, every day. Every night. I searched for you. I'm sorry I didn't do better. I'm sorry I couldn't see you in the end."_

The man in the recording coughed again, inspecting his hand and chuckling softly, John grimacing at the sight of too-dark blood splattered against his bronze skin.

 _"If you're out there, if you find this someday. You gotta understand, nothing is safe here. The plants, the air, everything is toxic. There aren't enough masks to go around for everyone, and now that the air's getting thin we're all fighting tooth and nail over scraps of whatever we can find. Some of the weaker ones...they've already died. But we're fighters, aren't we Davey? We've always been the tough ones."_

The man stepped back, away from the recording window, then pulled a sword into view.

 _"I'm leaving her here for you Dave. If you want her, come and find her. I'll leave her waiting for you, when you wake up and come looking. We're in the mess hall of Deck E, the Engineer's lounge on Starship Mondrogosa's west-"_

The recording suddenly ended, a series of red error messages flickering in the sights of the optical reader.

 _File corrupted. Unable to continue playback. Would you like to review the record again from the beginning?_

John shook his head, trembling, tears pouring down his cheeks. Deck E, the Engineer's suite. That was on the opposite side of the ship. The place where the message had been recorded, John had to find it. He had to see for himself.

"Rose. I need you to lead me to where this message was recorded. Can you complete a remote transit request to personal scanner? It's an emergency, I need you to come with me. We have to...we have to find them..."

The intercom was silent for a short while before his scanner beeped and Rose's voice was suddenly much closer, much clearer than before.

 _Request for remote transference to personal scanner granted, due to ongoing state of emergency. Transit guide assistance granted to Biome Researcher John Egbert._

Rose beeped for a few moments, as if calculating code, then spoke up again.

 _Official Federation Fleet log, recording: Stardate_ _0900-572-983-799._ _In compliance with probationary exchange measures, transit guide granted to next highest personnel in direct chain of command. All access to ship memorybanks and mainframe now granted to Federation Fleet Exploratory Starship Mondrogosa First Captain Johnathan Egbert. To confirm acknowledgement of your promotion, please confirm your consent to Operational Management Guide System R.O.S.E. - Starfleet Regulation Autopilot Communications System. Do you consent?_

John blinked blearily, reaching up to wipe away the tears streaming down his cheeks, numb to the warmth spilling from his eyes. The hologram lenses flickered a bit before returning to their usual state, and Rose's voice filled his ears again.

 _Awaiting confirmation of promotion from First Captain John Egbert._

John laughed nervously, hunching forward and glancing down at his hands, watching the way the neon blue lights flickered across his fingertips and palms, sensors reading the genetic makeup of his tears before logging the information in the ship's internal databank. He was alone. Completely and utterly alone. Billions of years had passed since Rose had spoken to another human being aboard the starship. He was on an unknown planet, a dangerous, toxic planet somewhere in the universe. He had no idea how the ship had crashed, where they were, how far from Earth...if Earth even still existed. By now their solar system's sun had likely gone supernova, wiping out all remnants of his homeworld or anything that had once been familiar. Who knew what changes could have possibly transpired over the past 900 billion years. The mere thought of such things...they were mind numbing. Completely overwhelming. It made him want to shut down, collapse in on himself and cry. He wanted to freak out. He needed time to absorb all of this information he'd so unceremoniously been given. And a promotion to Captain? This...was insane.

He balled his hands into fists, clenching his teeth and exhaling slowly. No. He could do this. He could handle this. If nothing else - he would try to find answers, to survive. He wouldn't just give up. There had to be something he could do. He had to find a way to the other side of the ship. And with Rose's help, he had confidence he could do so. The computer chimed again, repeating her previous statement, in standby mode until she heard verbal verification from her new commander. He shifted in his seat, standing up once more and glancing around the med-bay, shaking a bit but trying to keep the panic out of his voice when he finally spoke to the autopilot system.

"Johnathan Egbert, in compliance with emergency promotional regulations. I hereby accept probationary position as Acting Captain."

The computer in his ear chimed softly, and Rose spoke again.

 _Statement accepted. Captain, do you consent to redirect complete authority to, and be recognized by, your name John_ _Egbert throughout the remaining extended functionality of the ship?_

Yes, that's exactly what he wanted. His name would give him access to every part of the ship, including the bridge. He could find a mapping system there, hopefully, if the computer systems in the main hull weren't completely destroyed during the breach. He nodded, breathing quickening again, his pulse pounding in his ears. He was already brainstorming, already formulating a plan. _I have to explore every inch of this ship, there has to be a way off this planet. There has to be somewhere safe I can go..._

Rose piped up again, repeating her previous question. This time John was ready with his answer.

"You have my full understanding and express consent. Give me access...to everything."

* * *

Hope you're as excited about this as I am. Get ready for a wild ride. -Opal


	2. Ch 02: Scout

Enter the Fein

Disclaimer: I do not own Homestuck.

Warnings: Violence, Death

Pairings: ?

Plot: Crash-landed on an alien planet where it seems everything is toxic to humans, John Egbert must find a way to adapt and survive. He will soon find out that though his ship appears to be devoid of all human lifeforms, he is very much not alone.

* * *

Ch 02: Scout

John left the med bay, and with Rose guiding him down the halls he found his way to a sealed off bunk-room. Looting through the lockers there was more than fruitful, and within the next two hours he had amassed quite the arsenal of provisions, including clothing, medicine, and purified water along with sealed rations and canned foods. After several scans to be sure that the contents were edible, John dug into one of the cans of mixed vegetables and downed two bottles of water, going over the list he had made in his personal database with Rose.

"Read it to me again, Rose. From the top."

 _Yes Captain._

Rose whirred softly as she read back her findings, the sights of the optical scanner highlighting items as she read through the list of supplies.

 _The provisions you have gathered from this bunker should last one individual for approximately 187 days. Findings include rationed goods of fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Including balanced nutrition through rations, supplements, vitamins, and purification device for adapting water filtration - resources are adequate for immediate survival tactics. Oxygen levels remain stable throughout the corridor, and with consumption on a regular basis involving only one lifeform, remaining oxygen supplies should last for approximately 953 days. Other sealed chambers have been detected within the nearby vicinity which may prove to hold rations of food, water, oxygen, and medicine to further initial lifespan prognosis._

John nodded, scooping up another spoonful of vegetables and shoving it in his mouth before bringing up his tangible display. The flicked through the database Rose was creating for him as she read off the list of gathered supplies to prove her estimations and initial findings. _This is good. I can work with this. Now, to find the deck where Dirk made his recording..._

"Rose, can you find a path to the Engineering deck in the west corridor? I want to go to the recording site of the hologram you showed me before."

 _Affirmative, path to west wing corridor located below Deck C, through ventilation shaft. Please note, integrity of the hull has been compromised along portions of the shaft, a breathing mask for ventilation of alien contaminants is required._

John nodded absently, polishing off the can before setting it aside and grabbing the backpack he'd been stuffing with supplies before his break. Finishing up the last preparations for his venture to the west corridor and zipping up the sides of the bag to seal the contents tightly within, he stood to his feet. He was in boots again, and a full combat bodysuit he'd found within the lockers, a lightweight model with a thick mesh netting to handle impact and environmental wear. He wasn't sure what exactly he'd be getting himself into, but he wanted to make sure to keep that green slime out. Whatever it was. He pulled on a half-helmet, wrapped securely around his skull, the padding light and durable. Also thick enough to handle concussive damage should he fall from some sort of height while climbing through the vents towards the decks below. The last thing he needed was to hurt himself before he'd even started. He pulled full goggles over his eyes, the spectacles flickering and combining with the exterior sights to amplify his vision. The extra weight of the material pinched at the bridge of his nose a bit before the spectacles settled into place. They were meant to be compatible with just about every other piece of hardware engineered and outfitted, after all. Otherwise, with his shoddy vision, he'd really be screwed. He tapped his right temple, watching the sensory displays light up and merge together, then tugged the backpack across his shoulders and fastened the chest strap into place. He paused, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes, thinking about what he needed to do.

"Alright Rose, show me the way."

A yellow path appeared before him, and he turned until he was aligned with the sights and the path turned green, showing he was going the right way.

 _Proceed to highlighted route, Captain_.

"Captain, yeah...on it..."

He shook his head, flexing his gloves and shifting in his boots to make sure everything fit snugly against his frame, then he headed out. Leaving the bunk-room, he continued through the corridor which seemed to be sloping down the longer he continued. Had they crashed on a hillside? Or sunk into the soil over the years? The ship was definitely not leveling out. In the end he was walking upright along the walls, stepping over doors and gliding his hand along the ceiling to keep himself upright. Then the path Rose lit up before him dipped low, diving down into one of the rooms he was heading towards.

 _Please watch your step as you descend into the next chamber._

"Thanks Rose." His tone was only a little on edge as he went down to his knees, prying open the door until the sensors chimed and the door opened the rest of the way on its own. He peeked down into the dark interior, then exhaled softly and reached up with his left hand to tap along the top of his goggles, lights illuminating along the curved surface and shining a wide beam down into the room. It was untouched for the most part, though vines were peeking through one side of the compromised wall, and John quickly tugged his mask up across his face to hide his nose and mouth. Rose hadn't prompted him yet, but he wanted to be cautious not to contaminate his lungs again. Another date with the purification chamber so soon definitely didn't sound appealing in the slightest. "Okay then. Here we go."

He descended slowly, watching his footing as he climbed down into the room. Entering from above was awkward, but he planted himself firmly against the opposite wall once we was fully on the ground again, looking up at the doorway above him where he'd entered with a little sigh. That was going to be a pain in the ass to crawl up to again. But he'd worry about that later, when the time came go to back to the bunker. He turned his attention back to the path before him, following his sights to the wall to the left of where he'd landed and finding the edges of the ventilation shaft with little effort. Once the panel was set aside he glanced down the long, dark crawlspace with apprehension and swallowed thickly, then went down to his knees and began making his way inside. It was roomy enough even with his backpack, and one he'd made it past the first two turns he wasn't so freaked out by the way the metal creaked under his light weight and shuffling strides. Rose updated him now and then on his progress. 15%, 38%, 70%...then at 79% he had to stop. The air here was thick, hard to breathe in despite his mask. The smell was tangy, like the slime he'd touched before, and there were green stains along the inside of the shaft and green water-droplets dripping down between the cracks along the shaft lining. It was making him feel sick. He coughed behind his mask, eyes watering, then he spoke to Rose with a strained tone.

"Analysis on foreign contaminants? What's making the air so bad in here? That smell..."

 _Residue from alien flora. Prolonged exposure to fuel-cells has contaminated and effectively poisoned the porous soil, immersing the area directly surrounding the ventilation shaft with harsh chemical-soaked sediment. Proceeding to destination swiftly is recommended._

 _Fuel cells_... _Could the starship be contaminating, no...mutating the alien plantlife and causing it to become acidic in nature?_ John avoided touching the green slime wherever he could, passing through the green haze thick in the air and then finally starting to ascend. His studded gloves gripped the metal easily as he continue climbing up through bends in the air shaft that had pinched the metal inward, undoubtedly from impact when the ship crash-landed. He had to slide his backpack off here and push it through the small gap ahead of him, then climb after flat on his belly, kicking through the last of the crawlspace into the room beyond. This side of the ship...looked haunted. It was dark, eerily covered with moss and slime everywhere within sight. John shivered and checked the readings of his goggles then toggled the lights off now that he could see again. The lights were flickering now and then, but for the most part the energy levels seemed stable. The oxygen on this side however, was so severely diminished the levels were nearly non-existent to his scanner's readings. There was enough carbon-monoxide in the air that a human would suffocate in minutes. He checked his mask absently, reassuring himself it was secure, then he proceeded forward. Despite Rose's analysis earlier, he was doubtful they'd find any resources here. Especially with what Dirk's message had said, they'd been fighting one another for survival at the end. All food and water gone. John didn't want to imagine what dying like that was like. He shivered, steadying himself and beginning to explore the room. He found the door, pressing the hand-panel to open it, and was met with a rush of cold air. There was water in the hallway, and ice along part of the corridor as it opened up further. John stepped closer, rounding the nearest corner and peeking into the room beyond. There had been a temperature regulation unit here, which had obviously malfunctioned. The entire interior of that room had solidified into a giant block of ice. He stepped over the ice coating the floor beneath his boots carefully, listening to the crunch under his steps with mild anxiety before making his way past the frozen section to the other side and continuing on. At the end of the long stretch of corridor warning messages flashed along his sights and Rose's voice chimed in his ear.

 _Warning, hull breach ahead. Exposure to foreign microbodies imminent. Proceed with caution._

He reached forward, pressing his gloved had over the chilled palm-reader and then lifting his arm to cover his eyes at the blinding light that poured in from the opening doors. When his vision cleared, he lowered his arm and took a step inside, wincing lightly at the tang in the air and surveying the plants covering everything. They were flowering here, different before than the moss in the chamber where he'd awoken. Here, there were clovers and star-shaped flowers with spiny petals, pinks and yellows, whites and blues. Colorful and buzzing with some sort of insects that flit between the bells of the flowers to gather nectar from inside. His scanner recorded findings as he approached, green lights giving him the go ahead to proceed - the insects weren't a threat, couldn't penetrate his bodysuit, and as long as he kept to himself they seemed far more interested in their meal than messing with him. He glanced up through the foliage of ivy and flowering plants, but the light was too bright for him to focus on for too long. Perhaps the sun here was white instead of yellow? He wasn't sure why his goggles couldn't quite focus past the hull breach, but he wasn't headed that way anyway. He turned his attention to the main room stretching out to the right, and stepped through some hanging ivy down a series of steps. This was the lounge room, the mess hall for the engineers of the ship somewhere in the collapsed chamber beyond, hidden by rocks and thick walls of vines. He was half expecting to find corpses, bones left behind by his former crewmates, but it had been so long now. There was nothing left behind to find.

 _Warning, foreign contaminant located directly above. Avoid interacting with contaminant, issuing evasive maneuvers to proceed safely to destination._

John had been so busy looking down he'd forgotten to look up. Above, where the ivy was thickest, it seemed there was some kind of domed window holding a substantial volume of liquid. The bowl-shaped barrier was covered with thick slime and dripping in several places, droplets tinking softly against a pool that had gathered below in the center of the room. That didn't look safe at all. He skirted around the center of the room and followed Rose's instructions as the thick ivy blocked the next few entrances branching into the hallways beyond, but then finally there was an accessible, sealed room. John used his voice recognition commands to break the seal, and the doors swung open. Here the interior was untouched, no slime in sight. When the door shut behind him, the intercoms above chimed and flashed with alarms in warning, Rose's voice echoed overhead the same recording it must have since the crash.

 _Please evacuate to the nearest exit. Stay with your unit, your chief officer will give further instructions on how to proceed. Remain calm. Please evacuate to the nearest-_

Rose beeped softly a few times, then said over the recording, _Administrator permissions include discontinuation of emergency evacuation tutorial readings. Option to disengage overhead announcements for evacuation proceedings? Confirm or deny request._

"Confirm. Shut it down, Rose."

 _Confirmed, Captain. Overhead announcements will be silenced._

John breathed out a little sigh of relief, grateful for the echoing alarms and voice to finally stop their repetitions. He stepped forward, leaning to one side at the uneven terrain now that they were continuing forward again, then after a short climb to reach the top platform, John accessed the next level of the engineering corridor and continued inside. Here, the network systems seemed to be up and running, repaired somehow. Likely an engineer's doing, before they'd met their end. John stepped up to one of the monitors, flicking on the lights in the room with a few quick clicks and glancing around cautiously once the darkened interior was alight with neon pulses of energy. There wasn't a skeleton in sight, but there was a hologram recorder set up nearby, sitting before a sword. This was where the recording had taken place. He'd found it. Now what.

"Rose, the stardate on the record Dirk Strider left before. Are there other recordings around that time-frame left by any other members of the crew?"

 _The files of surrounding stardates have been corrupted. Memorybanks are not fully operational._

"Are there any files about the crash, anything that shows what happened? How we landed here, where we are. Anything?"

Rose was silent for a while, searching. _Confirmed, ship logs intact on bridge, accessible with current Acting Captain privileges. Records are required to be viewed on bridge, unable to grant remote access capabilities to unverified device._

Then that was the next step. He had to gain access to those logs. "Can you chart a path from here to the bridge?"

Rose paused again, calculating a response. _Negative, unable to confirm safe pathway to bridge. Vessel is compromised, hull breach causing malfunctions to surrounding chambers. Access to bridge is not possible through starship, voice command override function not accessible due to mainframe damage. Autopilot system unable to override door-latching mechanisms to allow access to bridge. Apologies, Captain._

"Damn it...there has to be a way."

John huffed softly, pacing back and forth before the monitors, glancing across the keyboards atop the bar and frowning lightly while approaching one of the monitors. He pulled out one of the chairs, taking a seat and staring blankly at the holoscreen before him. He knew basic computer skills, and bare minimum about engineering. What could he access from Deck E that would somehow show him the way to the captain's bridge? The main deck, it must be so far above this level, there was no way he could get there without Rose's guidance. For all he knew it wasn't even attached to this part of the ship anymore, Dirk had said the starship was in pieces when he'd been searching the wreckage for his brother.

"Rose, can you show me a blueprint of the ship?"

 _Yes, Captain._

The computer before him whirred to life, pulling up various files on the layout of the starship, before zooming out and showing their location on Deck E. The ship was upright in the blueprint, but John knew that wasn't its current state of being.

"Okay, can you show me the current degree of alignment, mirroring the ship as of right now?"

The image on the screen tilted then flipped almost completely upside down. That definitely wasn't good. No wonder the gravity seemed so out of wack on this level of the ship.

"Good. Now, can you show me which parts of the ship are still connected to where we are right now?"

Pieces of the ship fell away, one by one, showing only the chambers that remained connected to the spine of the ship. The captain's bay was still there, but it was far away and upright, with no connecting paths between his current location, nor where he'd awoken before. That wasn't good. He sighed and reclined back against the headrest, leaning the chair back with a little creak before glancing towards the recording device beside the sword. He reached for it, pulling it close and inspecting the record-keeping transient device before placing it on the nearby dock to load the clips within the memory, tapping to access the first file. It was silent, the audio corrupted, but John recognized the desert biome as somewhere on earth. United States, judging from the English adorning the magazine covers and CD albums the camera panned across. What was that, some sort of musical device, a record player? No, turntables. He'd heard of those before, they were beyond ancient now. Without audio the clip didn't mean much. He clicked on the next in the series, the audio a bit distorted. He could make out someone speaking, and a beat. But nothing more. He took his time, searching through the files and tapping with his fingertips across the monitor, clicking here and there to fast-forward and rewind. Not finding anything useful, he almost skipped the last few clips, but he felt the need to complete what he'd started. He tapped on the next playback file in line and was greeted with Dirk's face, up close and personal once again. He looked younger in this recording, no scruffy beard, full features and a wide grin. He finger gunned at the camera then shuffled a bit to sit it down, backing away and tossing his arm around the shoulders of another boy. A blonde, smaller in stature, with shades that nearly matched as they stood side by side.

 _"Well this is it. Our last night on Earth, Davey. What say we kick it old-style, one last time before heading out into the stars."_

The younger of the two brothers made a few gestures towards the camera, nodding along to the beat of a song playing in the background as Dirk laughed and shoulder checked him teasingly, the two brothers sharing a moment before the music started to flow. John hadn't noticed before, but they both had sort of a drawl, some sort of accent. Like Texas, maybe. He couldn't quite tell. Dave finally addressed the camera, grabbing it and pulling it close, his rounded shades framing his boyish features. His eyes were bright red, shining like gems behind his dark frames.

 _"This is goodbye to the old life, and hello to the new. See ya' in outerspace, cowboy."_

John laughed softly, closing out of the file and sighing to himself, looking over at the sword still resting atop of the bar where Dirk had left it behind all those years ago. John wondered if it would be wrong of him to touch it. He debated for a few moments then decided it was time to go. He left the recordings on the monitor, leaving the sword to rest where it had been, where it always would be. Time to head back, until he could figure out some other way to reach the bridge and access the data he would need to figure out a way off of this planet.

He jerked violently at the sound of a crash outside the room, back in the direction of the mess hall. It sounded like broken glass, and now a rush of water being pouring from the ceiling onto the floor. The dome of slime he'd passed under before, to reach his current location. It must have finally collapsed under the weight of all that hazardous liquid. Before he could call for her, Rose was already sounding a warning alarm in his ear.

 _There has been a breach. Evacuate immediately to higher level. Ship interior has been flooded with contaminants. You must evacuate to higher level, Captain. Toxins will fill this area quickly now that the breach has leaked into the main airspace._

John looked around, searching for any signs of escape. "Show me a way out of here, now Rose!"

Sensors lit up across his lenses, the overhead lights flickering and then shutting down completely just as his goggles' high-beams lit up the surrounding area. Being here in the sudden dark, with the sound of water rushing up from the ground-floor was more than unsettling, and that tangy sour scent of slime was in the air again, thicker than he'd ever experienced it before. Warning lights flashed in his peripherals, and he coughed despite his air mask, his eyes stinging behind his goggles. Fuck, that was strong.

When Rose still didn't respond, John called out for her again. "Come on Rose, how do I get out of here? We need to go, now!"

 _Path of escape blocked by rising volume, avoid contact with contaminated fluids if at all possible. Suit integrity may be compromised by high level of toxicity in the water._

John's pulse elevated immediately, and he croaked out a startled, "What?" He couldn't get out? But, he had to get out. He couldn't just stay here. Who knew how much liquid was pouring from the ceiling, and for how long. He went to the edge of the room and looked down into the darkness, his high-beams lighting up the green water rising from down below. Fuck, fuck, fuck he was trapped up here. And if he was lucky he was only trapped, and wouldn't have to worry about it rising up further to reach his current level. Maybe...it would drain somehow. Yeah, right down the ventilation shaft where he'd crawled through before. That meant...there wasn't a way back to the bunker he'd found before. Or the medical bay. Fuck. He was so screwed.

 _Acute distress detected. Please level your breathing, Captain._

"I can't level my breathing without knowing there's some way out of here Rose! Please help me!" The strain in his voice was close to panic, tears biting at the edges of his vision and blurring his sight temporarily. If he'd been afraid before, waking up to find out he was alone and had been for billions of years, at the thought of drowning in goop or being eaten alive by alien acid he was in a word: terrified. "Tell me what I can do, I can't just stand here watching!"

 _Climb to higher ground._

Rose set a path in his sights again, this time lighting up handholds along the wall up towards a shaft near the ceiling. If John remembered correctly, the shaft didn't go anywhere close to where he wanted to go - but it was higher, at least. Away from the rising water. He steadied himself, adjusting the straps on his backpack a bit tighter before climbing up to stand atop the bar and then reaching up with one hand, then the next, effectively scaling the wall where cracks had formed in the metal and twisted disjointedly with the impact. When he reached the shaft, he found it was a hell of a lot easier to pry the panel off with both hands, not one handed while climbing up the side of the wall. He scared himself a few times, nearly losing his grip, but when he finally managed to pry the panel off and toss it to the ground below he felt victorious, filled with adrenaline. He tried not to think about how the panel had splashed instead of clanked loudly upon impact. He hoisted himself inside, not daring to look down at the rising water. Rose had been right to tell him to climb. The water didn't seem as if it would be receding anytime soon.

He set off through the vent, following the highlighted path, Rose silent for now which he hoped was a good thing. He couldn't hear anything, just the sounds of his own movements against the shaft, and then suddenly there wasn't anything under his hands and he fell forward, barely catching himself before he fell down into the room below. He stared down into the darkness, there wasn't a room there - it was a cavern of some unknown depth below, stretching on and on. That must be why the ship was angled so strangely, they'd crashed into a ravine of some kind. It was rocky, barren. Like a grave. He shuddered and pulled back to the safety of the vent, fury rising as he shouted into the dark.

"Why didn't you warn me there was danger ahead!"

Rose was silent, and John tapped at his right temple, listening intently.

"Hey, answer me! Where's my warning, huh? That scared the shit out of me! If I hadn't caught myself, I could have-"

He couldn't finish his statement, biting back his anger and taking a deep breath. His heartbeat was definitely elevated, and she wasn't nagging him about his breathing either. Something must be wrong. Like in the first hallway, when she'd been unresponsive to his commands. He carefully shuffled over the gap in the shaft then continued forward, following the path in his scanner. He had to trust the path she'd shown him before while he was flying solo. It wasn't as if he could turn around and return to the room before, he had to press forward. Time seemed to stretch on forever in the quiet. He waited for some kind of beep, chime, anything from Rose. But it never came. When he reached the other end of the shaft, he tapped his optics, examined the readings and then made the decision himself to enter the room with or without Rose to guide his steps. He shoved off the panel, listening to the sound of clanging metal as it bounced down the wall and settled on the floor. He peered into the room, it was dark but the air seemed clear enough. More oxygen anyway. He sighed softly, carefully climbing down. This room was right-side up, and he stepped over to the door, hovering over the hand-panel and stating his name. No response. He frowned, tugged his glove off, tried again. Nothing. Fuck. He tugged back on his glove and looked around the room, investigating the books lining the walls, in some language he didn't understand. The linguistics department? Maybe the arts? He sorted through some of his findings, then checked the oxygen saturation levels again and hesitantly removed his mask. He really wanted some water.

Shrugging his pack off of his shoulders he unzipped the first compartment of his bag and retrieved one of his water bottles, downing half of it without a thought before he stopped himself. If he couldn't make it back, he had to ration everything he had with him. Lucky for him, he'd brought one of the water purification devices just in case. He whispered a soft thanks to whatever deity might be looking out for him, and then sealed up the pack again, tugging it back across his shoulders and securing the chest strap. He returned to the door, replacing his mask before examining the seal between the panel and the door, finding it was disconnected. He wasn't sure how to repair it, so he left it alone and tried to manually pry open the chamber instead. It took quite a lot of effort to part the doors a few inches, enough for John to get his hands inside and finally leverage the doors open enough to squeeze through. They slammed shut behind him one he released them, and he breathed out a sigh of relief. All limbs intact, including fingers and toes. Couldn't ask for much else after something like that. Now where was he? His path remained off-course when he focused on the hall and turned first one way then the other, sights remaining yellow no matter which way he turned. None of these corridors were going to take him to where Rose had first intended him to go, and until she was back online he would have to wander and see what he could find.

He started down the first hall branching off to the right, circling around to where the med bay had once been. There was nothing there now, just vines growing around the collapsed ceiling. The air here didn't smell sickly like the other locations had, and the flowers were smaller, pale whites and yellows. No insects here. John wasn't sure if that was a good thing or bad, but the air held less toxins than before. Must be further away from the fuel cells. The vines lining the med-bay had created layers in the collapsed stones and metal from the breached hull, almost like a staircase. John shivered, looking up into the white light from above once more. He didn't know what awaited him outside. He didn't know anything about what to expect out there. A jungle, Dirk had said. But that was so long ago...

A whistle sounded from somewhere above, John jerking back until he was pressed to the wall, eyes wide as his sensors sought out the sound. Analysis played back the sound following a moment of silence, readings flitting between possible bird calls and finding nothing definitive. The whistle sounded suddenly again, foreign twittering and chirping echoing back some kind of response, before John relaxed enough to approach the faux stairs again. Well, he had to get back to the med-bay, back to his provisions, and there had been an opening above the room where his life-canister had been. If he could find that room he could get back to a safe space. Back to Rose. That sounded like as good an idea as any. He debated exploring the ship further, or taking a chance outside. Which was the greater risk? Which would be the quickest way back? Without Rose to guide him through the interior, the ship was a maze. He didn't know the layout of this side of the ship, he'd never had reason to go so far before. But the east side, the science wings, he knew that space fairly well. If he could find anything resembling the east wing he should be able to find his way back even without Rose's help. If he was lucky, he'd be able to recognize the pod-room without any trouble if he managed to stumble upon it. Alright. Outside it was, then.

He hoisted himself up onto the table, stepping across the vines and climbing up onto the next later with a bit of nervousness. To his relief the vines were strong, and though they swayed a bit like a hammock with his movements they held his weight as he climbed up between the collapsed beams and rocks, up to the hull breach and into the white light. It took a while for his vision to adjust, his goggles darkening against the harsh light. But once he could see his sensors began running wild, scanning, analyzing, categorizing, filing away tons of new information for him to examine later. He was a biome researcher, after all. Under different circumstances, the science-geek side of him would be having a field day. But he was on full alert, tense and wary, not thinking of anything other than his safety and his primary objective - make it back to the bunker in one piece. He needed to find safety within the air-tight confines of the ship. Then plan on how to find the bridge and access those secured logs, and work out what had happened to strand the ship in such a place as this.

That being said - this planet was beautiful. What bits of it he could see, anyway. The flora was lush and vibrant, the sun was hard to focus on, and if John was seeing things correctly he made out two orbs in the sky, though he wasn't sure if both were suns or if one was a moon or nearby planet. His sensors were having a hard time reading through the harsh light as well, even with his goggles protectively tinted to keep his eyes shielded from the sharp rays. He stepped carefully across the ivy to the ground, feeling the soil settle beneath his feet. The grass was...weird, writhing and moving despite the lack of wind. Like it were alive. Or perhaps the ship and surrounding trees were planted on the back of some gigantic beast. Anything was possible, after all. He tried to stay off of the grass as best he could, disliking the way it shifted against his boots as if trying to coil around his ankles and keep him in place. He wondered fleetingly if this planet had carnivorous flora. _Let's hope not. That's the last thing I want to stumble across right now._ Not for the first time since leaving the sword behind, John chided himself for not thinking to bring along some kind of weapon. He hadn't really anticipated he'd be traversing along the planet's surface. But still. Definitely under-prepared. The whistling had stopped, the chirping as well. He glanced around the trees, almost too tall for him to make out the boughs far above, disappearing into the light. Whatever birds were out there, his presence had scared them into silence. At least for now. He breathed in deep, adjusting his mask absently before continuing forward. He retraced his path, heading back to where he imagined must be close to his starting point. He didn't see any gaps in the ship, nor any pathways descending down into the ground or the vessel below. That wasn't good. He didn't like being out here, being exposed. He cursed softly under his breath, then turned around to face the direction he'd come from and stopped dead in his tracks.

There was someone there. Something. A humanoid, an alien. The first thing, the only thing, John could focus on were the giant ears perched atop the alien's head. Like bat ears, twisting this way and that, angling towards him. Listening, evaluating. His scanners were whirring and beeping, loud in the quiet of the now silent forest. Those large ears seemed to pivot slightly each time his scanner beeped, chimed, or whirred, the creature reacting to the mechanical noises his sights made with small twitching movements.

Then suddenly Rose's voice was in his ear, so loud so suddenly it had John jerking and recoiling backwards, falling flat on his back and falling still - down into a hidden chamber beneath him. He landed hard, knocking the wind out of his lungs, and he scrambled up to his feet again and backed against a wall. He looked up, focusing on the place where he'd fallen through the thick vines, then looked around the room. He recognized this place faintly, one of the lounge decks. Maybe he could find his way back from here. Rose's voice was speaking to him, but he couldn't focus on her, too hyped up on adrenaline to listen, nearly panicking as he waited for whatever that creature had been to descend and follow after him like some massive humanoid bat. He waited a few long heartbeats, and when nothing happened he finally pried himself away and rushed into the nearest hallway, panting hard and finally listening to what Rose had to say.

 _-return to Medical Bay. Detecting sprained wrist and possible fractured elbow, as well as whiplash to vertebra from fall. Please return to Medical Bay. Detecting various injuries. Captain, please respond to suggested command._

"Show me the way Rose. Let's get out of here."

 _Affirmative, Captain. Charting route to Med Bay. Please proceed to highlighted route. To avoid further strain on your injuries, show favoritism to your left side. Handle your wrist with care until medical care is received._

John kept glancing over his shoulder as he made his way down the hall, finding the route more and more familiar as Rose showed him the way. By the time they had returned to the corridor housing the bunker, John didn't need instructions to find the med bay. He was just glad to be back. To be alive. He went to the purification chamber, had himself evaluated and treated, then immediately shrugged back into his bodysuit and pulled up the optics display for his spectacles while tugging on his boots.

"Show playback of encounter with alien lifeform."

 _Readying playback of enounter with unknown lifeform in ten seconds._

John was bouncing his leg absently, tracing his palm with the fingers from his other hand while he waited for the footage to begin. Then there it was. Luckily his scanner had been recording, even if Rose hadn't been there to guide him the entire time. He zoomed in, inspecting the creature. It had been further away from him that he had realized, and had seemed startled, eyes cat-like with slit pupils, widened with surprise. Or fear. It hadn't moved, hadn't made a single move to step towards him at all - it wasn't until Rose spoke up that either of them had moved, and as soon as John had started to fall the bat alien had darted off into the treeline. It hadn't been following him after all. He rewound the feed, zooming in further to inspect the alien, taking note of the ears protruding from the top of the skull as well as ears where a human's should be. Two sets of ears? No wings or anything, but that larger set definitely had a distinct bat-like appearance. Like webbing, or membrane of some sort. Then there were those eyes, round and wide, pointed at the tips. Almost too big. Slit pupils, like a feline's. Mouth partially open in what could have resembled shock - wide enough to reveal a set of pronounced fangs, visible despite the obvious lack of aggression in the creature's stance. An alien. The first alien John had ever seen. And he'd scared it off. Would it be back? Did it live around here? Were there...more of them? These...bat creatures?

"What the hell was that thing..."

 _The indigenous species are known as the Fein._

John bolted upright, standing to his feet as he stammered shakily in reply. "Wait, you know about these things? Tell me everything you know about them, Rose. What are they, are they aggressive?"

 _In Doctor Jade Harley's research findings, Fein are typically non-aggressive, and tend to be a social, curious species. Communication with Fein is still undergoing developmental research, though prototypes of translation devices crafted by Doctor Harley's team have had successful trial runs with friendly Fein willing to participate in the Doctor's research. Further studies have shown the Fein are intrigued by mechanical devices, especially those that have-_

The spectacle's optics panned out to show a widescreen array of images, captured with various recording devices and different stardates labeling each image throughout a decade at lease, all around the time before Dirk had left Dave his final recording. There were all sorts of bats, these...Fein, in different colors, sizes, heights, and patterned skins. And clothing. They wore clothing? Looking at these pictures, they didn't seem nearly as scary as the one he'd witnessed before. Perhaps he'd only been scaring himself. He hadn't been anticipating an alien encounter. He hadn't been expecting any of this at all.

 _-communication problems lie within the sensitivity of the Fein's hearing. Devices compatible with both human and Fein aural sensitivity function on different audio wavelengths and therefore make synchronizing nearly impossible to perfect. Doctor Harley remains optimistic, as do the Fein that consistently interact with her and her crew, though hearing damage endured by failed experiments have caused conflict between the two species. The chief of the local tribe has outlawed Fein interactions with humans, from what the Doctor has gathered while speaking with her Fein companions. Interactions and research notes past stardate 0309-469-308 become increasingly scarce. Almost all notes from stardate -308 to -311 are personal logs by Doctor Jade Harley. Key to access the Doctor's personal mainframe are encrypted, but the Captain may override this encryption and access all files associated with science personnel. To view archives, please visit the mainframe located on the bridge-_

"Guess there's another reason for me to find my way there, the mainframe aboard the bridge must have so much hidden information. I have to find a way to get there. Rose, can you find a path to the Captain's bridge, even if it takes us above ground to the surface level?"

Rose was silent for a moment before chiming and giving her reply.

 _Footpath through the jungle to reach the bridge is possible, Captain. Traveling above-ground is not advised, due to previous interactions with local tribes that ended poorly between humans and Fein. The suggested path travels directly through Fein territory. Finding another route to the bridge would be advised._

"Is there another way you haven't told me about yet, Rose?" The computer was silent, not having a response. Calculating, no doubt, but not able to find anything effective. "Alright then, sounds like we're going to be taking a little hike through alien territory after all."

Still no response for several long minutes, then Rose finally replied.

 _Terminal guidance system will scout the suggested path and watch for any abnormalities in the region indicating alien lifeforms are present. Suggested wait time until nightfall, when terrain will be easier to navigate before dark._

John sighed, leaving the med bay and heading down the corridor towards the bunk-room again, goggles and helmet clasped in one hand, gloves and a bottle of water in the other. _That gives me a few hours to rest and come up with a backup plan for possibly bumping into an alien while I'm out there...but what should I do if I do come face to face with that Fein again...?_ His optics still held pictures of the creatures, and he focused on one til it magnified, and he inspected it again. The ears atop the skull were...impressive. The set along the side of the skull, much smaller. Humanistic, if not for the webbing connecting them to the larger set above. Adorned with piercings, how strangely familiar. He lifted two fingers and panned through a few more pictures, noticing that now and then the smaller, secondary ears seemed to be different shapes. One point. Sometimes two. Webbing stretched between the points, like membrane of bat wings. But the giant set atop the skull seemed to stay relatively the same, with slightly different points or shapes where the base met the skull. Each Fein had different colorations and patterns across their figures, some had freckles, some were completely covered in spots. Some were furry, as if they were built for adapting to cold weather environments, others seemed as if they were almost...modern. Wearing clothes, some with logos John almost recognized. Gifts maybe, from their human companions. Some wore jewelry in their pictures, and...was that lipstick? One of the Fein seemed dolled up, grinning alongside a human girl with long dark hair and faux ears perched atop her head. Probably on a headband or something. Maybe she thought wearing big ears like the Fein would help make them see her as one of them. The alien beside her seemed happy enough. John inspected the date on the picture, and the description. Huh. So that was Doctor Jade Harley. He'd been expecting some old professor, not a girl who looked as if she could be his age. He turned to head into the bunk-room, flicking his optics aside to clear his vision and groaning loudly while collapsing down atop one of the bedrolls. He was exhausted. He settled himself in the middle of the bed, staring up at the ceiling, then he heard Rose's voice chime softly in his ear.

 _Alarm set for departure in six hours._

"Make sure you wake me up if I fall asleep, Rose."

 _Of course, Captain_.

John sighed, rolling onto his side and propping his head up on his arm, letting himself relax for the first time since he'd left earlier that day. Aliens. There were aliens here. And he'd encountered one of them. Holy shit. If only there was someone here with him, to share everything with. This was terrifying, but exhilarating. He wished more than anything he wasn't all alone for this amazing ride. Eyes growing heavy, John yawned and allowed himself to drift off with thoughts of bat ears and cat-eyes flitting through his mind. He dreamt of Earth. Of his father. He slept soundly, until Rose's voice drew him out of his sleep.

 _-proximity. Alien lifeform in close proximity. Alien lifeform in close proximity. Alien lifeform in-_

* * *

More alien encounters to come! Thanks for reading! -Opal


	3. Ch 03: Adaptation

Enter the Fein

Disclaimer: I do not own Homestuck.

Warnings: Violence, Death

Pairings: ?

Plot: Crash-landed on an alien planet where it seems everything is toxic to humans, John Egbert must find a way to adapt and survive. He will soon find out that though his ship appears to be devoid of all human lifeforms, he is very much not alone.

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Ch 03: Adaptation

John could feel it. Eyes on him. He tensed, turning over as slowly as he possibly could, breath caught in his throat as he focused his eyes on the doorway. There was a figure there, a shadow. He reached up, tapping his temple so his spectacles focused their optics and the lenses of the portable hologram device elevated back into place before his blurry eyes. There was a Fein there. The same Fein as before, when he'd fallen earlier. It was watching him with wide eyes, standing there, staring. Its ears twitched now and then, following the beeps of his optics, focusing on John's cheek then ear as if picking up on Rose's voice.

 _-lifeform in close proximity. Alien lifeform in-_

"I got it Rose, jeeze. Will you shut up already? You aren't helping anything."

The voice stream cut off immediately, the computer beeping softly before returning to normal.

 _Contact with foreign entity causing contamination to immediate area. Breathing mask is recommended._

"Yeah I got it, just. Be quiet for now, okay?"

John shifted uneasily, slowly pushing himself up into a sitting position. The Fein was far enough away that John didn't feel any immediate danger, and now that his back wasn't to the creature he didn't feel quite so utterly exposed. He stared the other down, the Fein appearing to be in quite the same state of shock at seeing a human so close. Not sure what to do, John merely shifted his legs over the side of the bed and watched the Fein for a long while, eyes drifting over the claws that held onto the door-frame. The creature was tense, apprehensive. As if it might bolt at any moment, at the smallest movement, at the slightest sound.

"I'm scared too." John's voice was soft, and he offered a little smile while giving a small gesture towards himself. "I really scared myself earlier, when I saw you before and fell backwards. Banged up my wrist a bit, and neck too, but the med bay fixed me right up, so no worries there..."

Fuck, what was he doing? Just rambling mindlessly about things that didn't really matter. But it felt better than just sitting in silence staring.

"Ah, crap. I guess I should apologize for scaring you earlier too, huh? If it's freaky for me seeing an alien...then I guess I'm an alien to you, and you must be really freaked out too. Right?"

He reached up, rubbing at his head for a minute before shifting and finally standing up. The Fein backed away from the doorway a bit, and John watched the figure...a boy, maybe? He couldn't quite tell, if the Fein had genders and all that jazz anyway. How was he supposed to know?

"Sorry...didn't mean to scare you. I just...I don't know what I'm supposed to say. I'm not a doctor or professor, I'm not trained on how to handle alien contact...I'm just a researcher. I study plants, I grow things... I figure out how to help things survive outside of their natural environment, my unit specialized in creating artificially-crafted atmospheres on planetary satellites."

He deflated a little, glancing down. He laughed softly, brow creasing a bit.

"You can't even understand what I'm saying, can you? I guess I'm going to have to get used to that, not being able to talk to anyone who understands what I'm saying. Except Rose, but she's a computer program, so I'm not really sure she counts anyway."

The Fein's large ears were focused on his voice, on his tone, intently as if absorbing every word. It took a period following a long silence, but the Fein finally moved. He stepped forward, towards John, tugging down the fabric twisted around his neck and revealing a large silvery scar across his throat. He gestured towards the mark, then back at John. He rumbled softly, something between a hum and a growl, then gestured to John again. Curious, questioning.

"Voice? My voice?" The Fein lowered his ears a bit before perking them upright once more, tilting one to the side slightly as if waiting for something. John laughed a bit, feeling somewhat awkward. "Uh, jeeze I mean...I don't really know what to talk about. You don't really understand anything I'm saying anyway I guess so..."

Wait. The device. The translator that Doctor Harley was developing, could the prototypes possibly still be on the ship somewhere? They had to be. Where else would they be? And if she was a scientist, wouldn't her lab be somewhere nearby, in this wing?

"Rose, where is the location of Doctor Jade Harley's research laboratory?"

 _Doctor Harley's research lab was breached during impact. Access to lab functionality compromised. Do you still wish to visit location?_

"Yes! Show me how to get there."

 _Affirmative, Captain. Route has been highlighted._

The sensors along his sights flickered with neon lights until he found the right way to turn. He needed to get to the hallway though, and with his newfound companion in the way...he was going to have to get around him without scaring him off completely. He held out his hands, palms raised up to show he meant no harm. He wasn't sure if the gesture translated, but he walked closer steadily, the Fein dipping his ears back and receding into the shadows to keep a distance between them. When John reached the hallway, he glanced over to make sure the Fein was still there. He was, drifting towards the breach in the pod-room, but hovering as if waiting to see what exactly John was up to. The human fixed his breathing mask in place then gestured for the Fein to follow after him, walking slowly towards the research lab while glancing back at the alien now and then. A few more gestures to follow and then he seemed to understand, gingerly following after John's footsteps though he kept a good distance between them as they ventured down the hall.

When Rose indicated they'd reached the right door, John overrode the security locks with his voice recognition and as the doors whirred open he stepped inside. His scanner highlighted various instruments as he worked his way through the messy papers and files strewn across desks and research tables, then finally he found a series of electronic devices that reminded him of classic Bluetooth earpieces. Had the Doctor really been working with such dated technology? He picked up one of the earbuds, examining it, and then turned towards the hall. The Fein was there, glancing around the room from the doorway, focusing on John when he turned towards his observer. _Alright, so if these are the communication devices how the hell am I supposed to operate them anyway?_ He frowned for a moment, holding the device up to his ear, then the oval shaped aural device unfolded and wrapped around the shape of his ear before resting in place. It beeped a few chimes that resonated with something else on the table - a matching device. He swallowed thickly then picked it up and held it in his hand, Rose speaking up again when a series of long chimes from the aural device didn't prompt John into action.

 _Devices are ready to synchronize. Please place responding transmitter over aural shell to commence with experimental communication procedures._

John turned towards the Fein, taking a few steps closer and holding his hand out to the bat as if it were the most obvious thing to do. He definitely wasn't freaking out, shaking so badly he almost tripped as he took a few steps closer.

"Here, uh..."

He pointed at his ear, at the blinking device matching the one in his hand, then gestured to the translator resting in the cup of his palm. He held it out again, palm flat so that the creature could take it from him without the risk of scratching him with those super sharp looking claws. Up close and personal, this alien looked pretty fierce. Large claws and fangs, slit eyes, he definitely looked like something out of a horror movie come to life. But all the creature did was pivot his ears forward, tilting them down then up again, inspecting the device in John's hand but not making any movements to take it from him.

"You have to wear it, like this. See?"

He showed the alien his ear again, then looked to the other's ear and frowned a little. Wait...the smaller ears didn't seem as if they functioned for hearing. There wasn't an opening that John could see, it looked mainly like cartilage and webbing...like fins instead of something for auditory purposes. He glanced up to those giant bat ears, then down to the device in his hand. It was so small, was this really supposed to work with those massive ears? How could it...

"Uh, Rose? A little help here please...?"

Her voice was silent, and John frowned behind his mask before stepping a bit closer. The Fein didn't back away this time, and without the height of his ears John was actually a bit taller that the alien, he realized. But only a little. The boy watched him, eyes dilating and iris' flattening a bit before returning to their typical slit shape, gaze flicking down to John's hand before a clawed hand finally reached up to take the device from his fingertips. He moved delicately, claws barely even brushing against John with his movements. It was amazing, watching the way this creature moved. Humanoid, yet so animalistic. It was fascinating to observe. Eventually the Fein lifted the device up to the top of his skull an pressed it to one of his ears. The device chimed and latched onto the thick base of his aural shell and expanded across the outer surface, covering the curved edge and side of his ear with a patch of expandable nanofiber fabric that whirred and resonated with John's own device until they both flickered with the same pulse pattern and then settled into place quietly.

"Well. Now I guess I'm not really sure what we're supposed to do. I have no idea how these things even work, anyway." John's voice was soft, a bit strained. His eyes were downcast as he spoke, then surveyed the room, flitting over papers and faded documents. "Maybe there's a folder here somewhere with instructions on how to use these things..."

"I can understand."

John bolted, jerking towards the sound. He could hear the Fein's voice in his native tongue with his left ear, but with his right ear - the one with the translator wrapped around his cartilage - with that ear, the device echoed the words in his home language. In English. He stared at the alien, wide-eyed.

"Oh." That was all he could think of to say.

They stared one another down for a long moment, before the alien spoke again.

"What are you? How did you get here? Where did you come from? Are there others like you here? How-"

John lifted a hand, "Whoa, wait a minute. Slow down. I can only understand so much all at once." As the translator device beeped softly, finishing the final question, the human heaved a strained sigh and meet the alien's eyes.

"I'm a human. My ship, this ship, it crashed on your planet. A long time ago. I was asleep, inside one of those pods. You saw them, in that room with all the green slime? And no, I think everyone else who was here like me...is already dead."

The alien was quiet for a while, the device curved around his ear translating John's words back to him in Fein native tongue. After a small pause, the boy spoke up again.

"I'm alone too."

John's brow creased, not fully understanding. But before he could ask, the Fein continued.

"My nameright is Karkat."

Nameright...? John wasn't sure how accurately these devices were translating exactly what was being said, but he wasn't about to start complaining now. At least it was something, and something was better than nothing at all.

"My name is John."

The alien listened, ears pivoting towards him. He tried out the word, speaking it slowly. "John."

The human nodded, smiling a bit and watching the other. "Yeah, that's it. Nice to meet you, Karkat."

The Fein opened his mouth, as if to ask another question, then stopped. John watched him patiently, waiting, a sense of relief coursing through him. With these translators, he was capable of interacting with the alien lifeforms of this planet. Maybe somehow, through these devices, he could gain the information he needed to get to the bridge safely, to further explore the remains of the ship. To eventually get home. John focused on Karkat again, but the Fein's expression was torn. He looked as if he was trying to think of a way to phrase his next question, but eventually just exhaled sharply and said in what could only be described as a defeated tone, "You...should not speak with me." He closed his mouth, frowning a little, the pout accenting his fangs until he spoke up again. "I'm sorry, I should not have come."

John's eyes widened a bit with surprise, and he stepped forward when Karkat took a step back, the Fein already reaching up to try to take the device from his ear.

"Wait! What do you mean, I..." He watched Karkat with a strained expression. "I'm alone, I don't have anyone to talk to. I don't know anything about where we are, about this planet. About your kind." He reached up, rubbing at the back of his head, sliding his hand down his neck and letting out a long exhale. "Please don't leave, not so soon. I have so many questions I need answers to..."

"I can't stay. It's dangerous being here with you." The Fein frowned, glancing away, trying his best to tug the device off of his ear but failing to do so. He chirped softly, obviously in distress, backing away from John out into the hallway, glancing down the corridor towards the way they'd come before. He was definitely intent on leaving, John just couldn't understand why now, so suddenly. He'd seemed so curious before.

"Dangerous?" John took a step closer, lingering in the doorway, trying to give the Fein enough space that he wouldn't downright panic and run off with the translator. That might come in handy later, if he bumped into another Fein. Other Fein... John hesitated, trying to make sense of the bat's erratic behavior. "Do you mean...it's dangerous because...the chief outlawed having anything to do with humans?" Was that even still a thing, now that so much time had passed?

Karkat blinked over at him, ears lowering a bit and pivoting backwards, clearly confused. "Dangerous for you. Not me." He stepped closer again, clearly seeking out help, still tugging at the expanse of nanofiber clasping his outer ear. "I must go. I am outcast. Other Fein, they will help you. But not if they see you with me. I am outcast, to be shunned." He lifted his ear a bit, trying to get a grip on one side of the device to remove it without clawing through his ear during the process. "Please, you must remove this from me. I must go."

"Alright, okay. Just...hang on. Let me see." John scanned the device, speaking to Rose when he couldn't find the safety release. "Any suggestions here? I need to get this off without hurting him."

 _Safety release catch located at the bottom corner of the pairing device._

John reached around the curve on the lower side, pressing the hidden button there so the aural device expanded and released the shell of Karkat's ear. The Fein audibly sighed, clearly relieved, then looked up to meet John's eyes, a little frown across his features.

"I'm sorry."

John could understand him still, the device beeping softly against his ear as the alien turned and walked away. He watched him go, confused and dissatisfied. He had learned nothing, other than apparently Fein can be shunned for some reason. That seemed a bit archaic, but then again he knew nothing about their society. He couldn't really judge anything based on such a brief interaction. John sighed, rubbing at his head and then glancing back across the disheveled room that had once been the workspace of Doctor Harley. At least the devices worked. He had to be thankful for that, even if they were a bit difficult to get off once they were on. It took John quite a while to finally find the safety release on his own device and remove it successfully.

By the time he made it back to the bunker it was almost dark. So much for resting. He had to start making his way towards the bridge. Maybe while he was out he'd bump into Karkat again, or another Fein who wasn't so skittish when it came to communication. What had Karkat meant anyway...and why was he shunned in the first place? He'd seemed...nice enough. John wished the alien had asked him more questions, and he could have asked at least a few of his own. Hopefully there would be a next time. He'd try to talk to him again if their paths crossed while he was out traversing the surface.

John shoved the translators into one of the hidden compartments of his chest armor, along the inner lining of the thick impact vest, where they would be easily accessible should he need to use them again. He patted down his chest armor, double checking that the translators were secure, before grabbing his backpack, tugging it across his shoulders and mentally readying himself to depart. He tightened the chest strap of his pack and then fixed his goggles across his holographic frames, adjusting the sights and checking the footpath laid out between his current location. It started at the breach in the nearby pod room then continued to the surface, stretching out across the wreckage of the ship before continuing further into the surrounding terrain. He was nervous but he shoved his fear and doubts to the background - had to get to the bridge, tonight if at all possible. He had to have answers. He had to. He felt restless, there was no way he was getting back to sleep. Besides, if he let himself procrastinate he was wasting valuable time. And supplies. The provisions in the bunker wouldn't last forever. Neither would the oxygen. He didn't even want to begin to think about how much water he had left. The filtration system seemed in tact, at least enough for hot showers, but who knew how long those would end up lasting. He had to savor every aspect of such luxuries while he still could.

Stepping out into the hall, John headed towards the pod room where he'd awoken to the sound of alarms before. He called out to Rose as they approached the door, noting it was half-open. Karkat must have seriously intense alien strength to have broken the seal on the door so easily and let himself inside. _How'd he even know where to find me?_ He frowned a little, noting the change in oxygen levels and pressure as he continued down the hall. Damn. He'd have to figure out how to repair that door. The airtight seal was definitely damaged. Hopefully he could manage a patch to save some of the oxygen leaking out of the corridor. He'd think about repairs later, first the repetitive noise overhead had to go.

"Rose. Kill the alarm, would you?"

 _Yes Captain. Silencing overhead alarms._

John stepped through the doors, and the warning echoing overhead in the pod room silenced itself after a few moments of repetition. John glanced up, following the slant of a downed beam from the frame of the hull above him. That shouldn't be too difficult to walk up, if he kept his balance and avoided the slime. He flexed his gloves and checked his boots, he'd equipped environmental wear and brought climbing gear this time, the subtle spikes in the fabric of his soles and gloves adding extra friction to his steps and grip. He headed for the beam, making his way around a large, flat pool of slime. His boots left imprints in the thick moss surrounding the pool, squishing wetly with each step closer to the beam. Excess goo was dripping off the ceiling from another broken beam, and hazard warnings lit up in orange and yellow around the center of the pool as he scanned the green liquid with his optics. _More fuel..._ The scent was bad here too, though nothing compared to the flooded room he'd fled from before. He swallowed thickly and set his sights on the beam, his way out of the pod room and once again out into the open. There was more slime beneath the fallen beam. Great. Better not miss a step.

He jumped the last stretch, landing neatly on the beam with only a slight moment of terror when it shifted under his weight then settled against the floor. It splashed loudly against the pool of slime before leveling out and sloping gradually upwards into the growing darkness above. This was different than the last time he'd been here, when white light had been pouring down from the breach in the hull. Now, everything seemed more eerie, shadows hiding the corners of the room and camouflaging the broken pods amidst puddles of noxious green. Darkness had the same effect, it seemed, on every planet. The shipwreck in the lighting looked nothing short of creepy. It caused a shudder to course up his spine, John taking a moment to center himself before proceeding across the beam. He reached up and touched his optics, flicking the headlights of his goggles on with a light touch then making note of each footstep as he continued upwards. It wasn't too much of a climb before he was stepping up across a web of vines, glancing to either side and taking in the sight of an alien dusk unlike anything he could have imagined. There were two moons rising, the light from the fading white dwarfs nothing in comparison to the steady growing green light, hindered only by bright purple. The moons were brilliant each one unique with impact sites and imperfections, closer than the moon was to Earth. Closer than any planet he'd seen outside of training modules. He'd never been to Jupiter's moons...the mission he'd been assigned to had been his first. Everything else...had just been holograms in research labs. This...this was. _Amazing._

 _Optimal timing interval between sunset and moonrise. Current remaining time before nightfall: 49 minutes. Please proceed to highlighted route._

John sighed softly, saving his thoughts for later. There would be plenty of time to stand in awe beneath the two satellites of this planet if he was trapped here for good. Better get to the bridge and figure out just how bad his situation was. He turned his gaze to the jungle, stepping across the tangle of vines enveloping the broken hull and continuing on to settle atop a patch of that strangely moving grass. The texture of the ground flowing beneath his feet was unnerving, and John tried not to focus on the way the tendrils felt as if they were trying to wrap around the ankles of his boots. He flicked his wrist to bring up the display of the surrounding terrain, mapping out the path in his mind before closing the display and turning to follow the highlighted path Rose had plotted for him. He stepped towards the closest set of trees, his neck craning as he followed the trunk up into the sky, the green and purple light reflecting from the moons mixing together high in the atmosphere and creating something resembling the auroras of the arctic on Earth. The magnetic pull of gravity felt strange the further away from the ship he walked. By the time he'd lost sight of the wreckage and was surrounded by alien flora on all sides John was definitely starting to feel unsettled.

"Rose, the gravity feels weird out here."

 _Affirmative. Federation Spaceship Internal Gravitational Core is still in effect surrounding the close proximity of the Starship Mondrogosa. The gravitational pull of the planet is vastly different than that of Earth._

 _So that's why I feel seasick. It's like being on a boat, rising and falling with waves._ John shivered a bit and came to a halt, checking his map and the countdown in the corner of his optics for time left before nightfall. The temperature seemed to be dropping, and the atmospheric pressure was changing as well. There was a weather indicator blinking in the bottom left of his vision and he swiped his fingers across the space before him to bring up the holographic view of the nearby terrain. He inspected the readings, then dismissed the graphics and focused once again on the highlighted path. _Better pick up the pace with the way the biome stats are changing so drastically the closer it draws to nightfall_ _._

A whistle sounded from the trees nearby, a second following it and echoing back to the first. The sound continued back and forth for a moment before fading to silence again. John glanced around, keeping careful watch of any heat signatures between the trees, but finding none. Birds, maybe? Higher in the boughs far above, too far for his sensors to read? The exchange didn't seem threatening, like the sounds he'd heard before bumping into Karkat. It was only a matter of time before he bumped into native fauna in the region, he only hoped that it wasn't anything he couldn't handle.

 _Movement detected. Alien lifeforms in close proximity._

"Lifeforms? As in more than one?"

John checked his map, steering towards the highlighted path again and continuing further into the trees, the forest floor growing denser and darker here as he pressed on. The cold was causing him to shiver now and then, his suit keeping most of the bite out of the air but still not thick enough to completely block the effect. He could see fog in the air around his breathing mask, condensation building at the edge of one of his goggle lenses. Luckily it wasn't enough to cause his vision to fog. He sighed, checking the map again, then realized he was reading the same location he had been before moving further into the ticket. Oh. Crap. Was this thing not moving? Was the path not showing him the right way to go?

"Rose. Give me an update on our location. How close are we to the bridge?"

No answer. John swore under his breath and looked around, his goggles highlighting the growing darkness around him. Fuck, was he lost? Seriously? He'd better backtrack, follow his steps. He turned around, searching for footprints in the grass...but it was moving. The grass was moving. His boots weren't leaving impressions behind. Panic rising in his throat he forced himself to take a few deep breaths and called out again.

"Rose. Answer me. I need an update on distance from current location back to the ship. Back the way I came before. Can you highlight the path back to the pod chamber?"

Silence. Then that whistling again. Back and forth, louder this time. Closer to him. John looked around at the dark shadows between the trees, then looked up, staring at the swirls of purple and green twisting in the sky. He reached up, flicking off his headlights, and let the darkness take over his vision. When his optics rebooted, everything was in night-mode. His usually bright display was muted, toned down and soft to compensate for the low light. His thermal reader was up, detecting heat signatures nearby. Several of them, moving closer. It must be more Fein. Glancing around the trees and determining he was thoroughly lost, John grit his teeth and started walking across the flowing grass, heading towards the heat signatures. The closer he drew, the more sounds he picked up on. Clicking. Chirping. A squeak now and then. But all together, and rhythmic. It was a conversation. _The translator..._

Tugging one of the buds from his armor's hidden compartment, John pressed the aural device to the curve of his ear, trying not to grimace at the feel of it stretching over the shell of cartilage then settling into place. It took a few attempts at starting up without pairing to the other device, then suddenly those alien sounds began translating into English, chiming softly against John's ear.

"-harvest tomorrow. That should be enough to trade with their merchant before the next wave begins."

"We had better overcompensate to be sure. Please make note, I want the harvest monitored closely until it blooms. As soon as signs of seeding begin, uproot the east notch of the grove and migrate the remaining healthy sprouts to the new nursery. I want them ready for the next ceremony."

"Yes Belladonna."

One of the heat signatures broke away from the group, heading further into the jungle. Returning to the direction the party was walking away from, it appeared. There were three now, moving steadily through the trees and continuing to speak casually.

"I don't want the Prima to know the merchant has raised their prices. Do what you need to do."

"Yes, Bella."

"Also, see to it that the neighboring Prima receives sprouts for their grove as well. A gift of good-nature between our clans. Do it before the next wave crests, if we delay there may not be as substantial a harvest after the following wave hits. It has been rumored to drown."

"As you wish, Belladonna."

John pushed between two large tree-trunks and into the next clearing, pushing through brambles in the thicket and pausing only for a moment to read the warning flashing in his peripheral vision. Time was almost up, and the temperature was continuing to drop. There was no way he was making it to the bridge, when he'd last checked the map before it stopped synchronizing to his progress, he'd been at least 30 minutes out. Now he had less than seven. He steeled himself then focused on the heat signatures nearby. He must have been making more noise that he'd originally thought, for it already seemed that there were three pairs of ears focused on his location. One of the heat signatures stepped closer, soundlessly as if the thick flora surrounding them wasn't even there. John swallowed thickly, clenching his fist and fighting every instinct inside of him to keep from running, or flicking on the lights to his goggles so he could freaking _see_ the Fein that was approaching him. He reached up, tapping the side of his goggles to change from thermal to low-light. Everything was masked with green and purple, and something was glowing in the darkness. Eyes. Eyes fixed on him, watching him.

"What is it?"

"I...I don't know."

The first voice that had spoken, the one the other two had called Belladonna, shifted closer. It spoke again.

"What do you mean?"

There was a low growl, like a rumble of thunder in the dark. The closest Fein was growling, watching him intently, and then suddenly it let out a shout. It was jarring, a threatening sound that had John gasping loudly and recoiling, falling backwards through a bush and onto the ground with a sharp, displeased hiss. He winced, prying open one eye and looking up to see a Fein standing over him. The alien hissed as well, as if rising to meet John's challenge, and stomped one foot to the ground with an open-mouthed snarl to show off large, sharp fangs. This Fein was big, much bigger than Karkat had been. Holy fuck, this was not what he had been expecting when he'd walked _towards_ the group of Fein instead of away. He had to deescalate things before they got even worse. He held up both hands, palms up to show he wasn't holding anything.

"Whoa whoa! I'm not a threat! I'm just lost!"

The Fein standing over him paused, ears pivoting towards the sound of his voice, eyes focusing on his mask, then the layers of protective fabric hiding his throat. A low, rumbling growl churned in the Fein's throat, then one of those tall ears tilted back towards the sound of footsteps approaching through the thicket. A smaller Fein appeared, bright red eyes dilating and then narrowing, focusing on John with interest. The third Fein followed closely behind, the two taller aliens making eye contact briefly before the smallest Fein spoke.

"It's a human."

"Bella, that is...impossible."

The smallest Fein turned to look up at his two companions. "And yet, here it is. An alien. A human. Look, you've startled it silent."

The third Fein stood back a bit, observing but making no move to approach. "How did it get here?"

"How they always get here. The pull. The wave is approaching, after all."

John stammered a bit, pushing himself up into a more comfortable position and eyeing the first Fein still growling steadily nearby. "I...I just want to know how to get back to my ship. If I'm not supposed to be here, I get that. But I don't know how to find my way back. Can you help me...?"

The smallest Fein tilted both ears towards John as he spoke, flicking them to and fro while grinning, flashing a hint of his fangs. "It's trying to speak with us. Human language sounds pretty, doesn't it?"

"Sounds like nothing I've ever heard of." The third Fein replied, glancing over to the first. "It doesn't seem like it's a threat."

The first Fein quieted his growling finally, exhaling a snort through his nose and turning his attention to the smallest Fein. "Bella, it isn't safe here. We need to leave. The Prima needs to know that we made contact with this...alien being."

 _No! Not again, I can't let them leave without figuring out where I am. I have to get back to the ship before the environment completely shifts to night._ John gasped, shifting one of his gloved hands up and diving into this armor to retrieve the other translation device. He looked between the three Fein, then held out his hand, offering it to the smallest. He seemed chatty enough. John pointed to his ear, gesturing to the device and his matching translator a few times until the Fein began to understand what the human wanted him to do. Carefully, with wicked sharp claws scratching along the palm of his glove, the small Fein took the device and lifted it to his aural shell. It clasped into place, just as it had done for Karkat before, and then once the chimes sync'd up and blinked rhythmically together John took a chance and spoke first.

"I need to find a way back to my ship."

The Fein's eyes widened, and a delighted smile crossed his face.

"Ah, of course. How simple, to have thought you came from anywhere else. I should have known your origin, awoken from the ruins in waste."

 _The ruins in waste_. That sounded about right. John shifted slightly, pushing himself onto his feet and rising to full height. Like this, the smallest Fein was still taller than he was, and his companions were a foot taller each at least. John eyed the two sentries warily before focusing on the Fein speaking to him. "Can you take me back there...? I lost my way." He shivered a bit, trying not to think about the cold sinking into his skin through the thin layers of the suit. The Fein seemed to take note of his distress and twisted his ears to the side then forwards again, eyeing the human thoughtfully.

It was quiet for a few long moments before the bat spoke again.

"I will take you to the ruins."

The first Fein tensed up immediately. "Belladonna, the Prima would not-"

"The Prima is not my master. He is my alpha." The Fein's tone was sharp, his eyes glowing faintly as he set his sights on the Fein who'd spoken up before. "He lets me do as I please. What pleases me now is helping this creature find his way back to where he came."

"I will go back, and tell the Prima what we have found." The third Fein turned to walk back down the path the group had tread before, leaving John alone with the remaining two.

The smaller Fein hummed low, something similar to an insect's wings, a soft buzz in the quiet of the dark. "It's settled then. Come, I shall take you back to your origin point." The Fein tipped his ears lightly then stepped past John, glancing down at him briefly before continuing on. Not waiting to be told to follow twice, John started after him, keeping the other Fein in his scanner sights just to keep his nerves from becoming completely frayed. He walked along in silence for a short while, weaving through the trees and looking up now and then to follow the swirling lights in the sky. There wasn't any way he could have found his way back without guidance. This Fein was truly showing him a kindness, leading him out of the jungle. Without Rose, or a working guidance system to map out his path, he was pretty helpless out here alone.

"Thank you." He finally said, soft and relieved as the trees became more sparse and the glowing moons came into view, emerald and violet, stark against the jet black sky. John shivered a bit, glancing around the vines covering the surrounding area, searching for a breach in the hull to return to the warmth of the inner ship. The Fein was watching him, ears perked forward, the other Fein somewhat behind, looking around as if keeping watch. John smiled up at the Fein who'd chosen to help him, feeling worn out after his failed expedition. "I appreciate you helping me. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't brought me back here tonight."

The Fein hummed low in his throat, the sound resonating in his chest. It was close to a purr, John thought, though it was odd coming from an alien when it sounded so much like a house-cat. He hesitated, rubbing at his upper arm for a bit of warmth before asking, "Ah, I'll need that device back, before you go. Please. It's the only one I have, so..."

"Of course. I should think so, that you would desire your technology returned before we depart." The Fein smiled again, showing off his fangs and leaning close to John so that the human could reach up and remove the device from his ear. He paused, hovering just at the edge of the Fein's ear, gasping softly.

"Oh, I almost forgot! I wanted to tell you my name, it's John! And thank you so much again, for helping me."

The alien let out a soft sound, a laugh maybe? Then he nodded and tilted his ears towards the human once more. "It is good meeting you, John. My nameright is Kankri. I am the Belladonna of the clutch beyond the trees." His eyes flicked towards the forest, then focused on John again. "My Prima will want to meet you."

 _Belladonna... Prima... Is this translating right?_ He thought for a moment, then nodded. "Uh yeah, sure! Of course, I mean. I'd love to talk to you about your...clutch!"

Kankri made that same soft sound, definitely an amused chuckle. "Until we meet again."

John pressed the release button and took back the translator once it freed itself from Kankri's ear, the Fein giving him a little tilt of the ears in farewell then stepping away. His companion stared John down a moment longer before following after, and the two aliens disappeared off into the dark. Standing there, shivering and exhausted, John turned his gaze to the moons. He traced their curves, the grooves and dips of each impact site, each rise and deep crater. Alive. He was alive. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. Fuck. He really needed to sleep.

 _Gravitational pull shifting, Captain. Please proceed inside for the duration of the nighttime interval. Precautionary safety measures advised._

"Well now you decide to show up again. Thanks, Rose."

John couldn't even bring himself to be mad anymore. He found the pod room after a bit of searching through the vines leading down into the ship, carefully balancing across the beam and skirting around the edge of the pool before slipping through the doors and down the corridor to the bunker. He closed the door, checking the air-seal on the door to make sure it was nice and tight, then finally slipped his mask down around his neck and breathed in fresh air for the first time since Karkat woke him up earlier that night.

"That...did not go as planned."

 _Error in topographical mapping software detected. Update needed to system software. Synchronization out of date. Map readings may not be accurate. Please use caution while proceeding to bridge._

John laughed, tossing the last of his armor to the floor before flopping back onto the bed, laying an arm across his face. "You're a little late on that. If it hadn't been for Kankri I really would have been shit out of luck. Getting abandoned out there without you or a working guide really sucked, you know."

Rose was quiet for a moment, then she responded with a little chime before her reply.

 _Software update available from Starship Mainframe. Remote access to bridge systems granted to probationary Captain, due to malfunction in mapping systems. Temporary privileges of remote access will allow modifications to system. Updates should include various fixes to system errors caused by extended exposure to foreign contaminants and core overload resulting from network damage during crash. There are 14,219 updates in artificial intelligence self-learning program storage since last initiated stardate, including piloting systems. Would you like to download all system updates at this time?_

"If it'll make you stop acting so freaking glitchy, then definitely. Download every new update the system has. I'm going to sleep."

 _Permission granted. Updates from bridge mainframe will commence in ten seconds. Approximate time until completion: 18 hours, 54 minutes._

"That's plenty of time for sleep." John groaned softly, rolling over onto his side, tucking his arms under his pillow and burying his face against the semi-soft cotton. "And don't wake me up this time unless it's a serious emergency. Got it?"

 _System updates now featured in do not disturb mode. 23 updates successful, 14,196 updates pending completion. Progress will be muted until further notification from starship personnel._

"Good."

He yawned once, twice, then settled down against the sheets and tugged the blanket around his shoulders in a bit tighter. He was finally starting to feel warm again. He shivered lightly, tapping the display on his frames to minimize before drifting off.

Rose continued to steadily update software automatically throughout the night.

Outside, the first wave of gravity began to fall.

* * *

John hasn't had any luck getting the answers he needs, but he's met a new Fein who's a bit more chatty than the first. Lucky for him, Rose is about to get some serious upgrades. More next time. -Opal


	4. Ch 04: Outcast

Enter the Fein

Disclaimer: I do not own Homestuck.

Warnings: Violence, Death

Pairings: ?

Plot: Crash-landed on an alien planet where it seems everything is toxic to humans, John Egbert must find a way to adapt and survive. He will soon find out that though his ship appears to be devoid of all human lifeforms, he is very much not alone.

* * *

Ch 04: Outcast

When John woke up he was starving. He groaned, rolling over, blinking blearily before tapping his spectacles to clear his vision. When he was a little less disoriented he pushed himself up out of the mess of pillows and blankets he'd amassed then padded quietly to the med bay for a shower. Morning ritual complete, John reemerged in clean clothes, stretching his arms over his head and yawning loudly. He settled down on the floor before his provisions, grabbing a can of mixed fruit before checking the progress on the updates Rose had worked on overnight. Four hours remaining, but so far everything appeared to be progressing as it should be. That was enough time to formulate a new plan for tonight's attempt at reaching the bridge. He scarfed down two cans of fruit and a bottle of water before popping a few vitamins and supplements into the next can he opened, sighing and evaluating the hologram that appeared before him.

"Rose, show me the path to the bridge."

 _Loading updated topographical map of surrounding terrain. Changes have been made to navigation system, new routes have been charted. Please choose from the following footpaths._

The map that appeared on the hologram was vastly different that the one he'd been using the night before. The ground surrounding his immediate location had changed dramatically. There were large ravines between the shattered ship segments, from weather or wear due to the time that had passed, John was unsure. It looked like the ravine might have held water at one point, and there were large pools of that nasty green slime highlighted at the pit of the surrounding cracks below the ship. Notably, there was a large fissure, almost a canyon in depth and length, directly between the area of the ship he was using now and the bridge he was trying to reach. The paths Rose highlighted involved venturing back into Fein territory to go around the fissure, taking a path over the broken earth in the form of a land-bridge, or rappelling down into the ravine and climbing back up the other side. Fuck. He should have known this wouldn't be easy. The simplest path went thru Kankri's territory...but it took three days just to get to the bridge. It was undoubtedly the safest path, but it was also the furthest out of the way for him to travel. John frowned and examined the other two options. The land-bridge didn't exactly look stable, it was part ground, part vines, and part broken fragments of the once massive starship. If Rose was offering it as a viable path, she must at least believe it should hold his weight long enough to allow him to cross...but just looking at it was giving John a bad feeling. Rappelling down into the ravine didn't look much safer. The pools of acidic slime highlighted on the map were hazardous enough from far above, let alone wandering through the pits and then finding a stable ascent back to level ground. He huffed, finishing off his vitamin-supplement fruit cocktail and downing another half-bottle of water, then gathered his empty cans and set them aside to reuse later. He couldn't waste anything. Recycle, reuse. There were only so many things he could do without. Bottles and cans were not on that list.

He hoisted himself up to his feet and did a bit of light stretching before readying his pack for that night. He decided to raid the lockers again, finding a thicker bodysuit better suited for the cold weather that was just about his size. He fitted it to his frame, then finished sliding on his impact helmet, vest, climbing gloves and boots. He saved his goggles and mask for last, going over the three paths once more before making his decision.

"Land-bridge it is then. Show me the way, Rose."

 _Affirmative_ _, Captain. Charting path to land-bridge. Selected footpath is the shortest distance to bridge. Estimated time of arrival after departure: 2 hours, 14 minutes. Suggested time of departure, within the next hour. To avoid the gravity shift at night, leaving before sunset is the best option._

Rose chimed a few times, the path to the bridge highlighting itself across John's sights as he adjusted his goggles over his specs. He tightened the straps of his pack and then tugged his mask over his nose and mouth. As he started his trek out of the bunker and towards the pod room Rose piped up again.

 _System updates are still in progress and should finalize en route to bridge. Estimated time to completion: 1 hour 22 minutes._

"Let's just hope you don't disappear and leave me in the middle of nowhere again this time." John sighed, his sights blinking and collecting new data as he reached the hallway. The oxygen level in the unsealed chamber was slowly losing its potency with the breach in the airtight doors. He really needed to work on that the next time he returned to the bunker. He slipped through the doors and avoided the green pool then climbed up the beam as he had before, reaching the blinding surface with a little groan, lifting his hand to shield his eyes. His optics adjusted a moment later, lenses tinting to block out the sunlight still beaming down from above. Once his vision was clear of sunspots he focused on the path again. It took him towards the place where he had first bumped into Karkat. He patted his vest, making sure the translators were still safely tucked away, then began the winding route to the land-bridge. When his boots met the ever-shifting grass he almost didn't wince, but there was something about the little tendrils tugging at his feet that unsettled him. That, and the gravity was acting weird again. This time it seemed heavier.

"Rose, give me biome readings for the current sunlight interval. I want constant monitoring of the gravity fluctuations heading into sunset and nightfall."

 _Gravity readings will be monitored for further research, Captain._

A graph appeared in the corner of his sights, giving him the information he requested. He paused his steps for a moment to lift his hands and bring up the bigger holographic interface, flipping through the readings with interest. It appeared that the gravity rose and fell in...waves. Like the tide. A push and pull that effected everything from the plants and animals to the magnetic pull of the planet itself, the atmosphere, the weather, the air. "This is amazing. I've never seen anything like this." He thought back to what Kankri had been speaking of before, when John had overheard them in the forest. "This must be something the Fein have grown accustomed to as the norm on this planet. They treat the change in gravity like humans tend to talk about the weather."

Sudden shadows darkening his sights and movement overhead had John jerking and looking skyward, a few avian-looking creatures flying by overhead, cawing loudly as they went. They were larger that most birds John had seen on Earth. Luckily they didn't appear to be a threat, and they were already flying far away. He wondered vaguely what the wildlife here looked like on this alien planet. Were the creatures huge? Would any of them look familiar? Or would they more likely resemble something out of a sci-fi film, dredged up from some director's wildest imagination. He sighed, lowering his hands to dismiss the interface, and continued down the path Rose had highlighted for him. He shook off the uneasy feeling of the shifting gravity and tried to focus instead on other things. The flora he passed was interesting in the sunlight, something he hadn't been able to truly appreciate on his first trip along the surface. There were several interesting varieties of brightly colored flowers, some with large thorns, others with spiraling leaves and thick vines. His sights recorded everything, logging away new information as he followed the indicated footpath, insets buzzing here and there in the distance, mainly around the ship. He frowned a little, wondering how much exposure to the ship and the broken fuel cells had impacted the biome, but he tried not to feel too guilty about the situation. Billions of years had passed, all he could do now was move forward. Soon he would have answers. Soon he would be able to access the mainframe to the star-charts and find a path to Earth. Figure out his current location. Discover what had happened to cause the crash in the first place.

An hour into the trip Rose beeped softly, and then her voice chimed in his ear as he spotted the land-bridge in the distance.

 _Captain. Approaching land-bridge. Please prepare safety precautions for traversing across the chasm._

Yeah. Walking across a makeshift bridge over a seemingly endless chasm definitely didn't sound appealing. "Aren't you supposed to remind me not to look down, or something reassuring, Rose? We really need to work on your bedside manner." John continued forward, his sights spanning over the length of the land-bridge and pointing out the safest path to walk across the vines and metal pieces. This must have been part of the main hull before being ripped apart by the planet's atmosphere during the crash. He unfastened his pack, retrieving a few climbing anchors and a length of safety cable for rappelling he'd grabbed from the lockers before. John didn't know much about rappelling, just the basics from camp years ago, but he knew enough to secure an emergency catch should he fall. He took his time, finding a good spot to plant his first anchor, then approached the first length of metal framework cautiously, searching for a second place to plant an anchor in the event the first anchor didn't hold. Once both anchors were in place, he tested his weight against the restraints and then shrugged his pack back onto his shoulders. Alright. That should do. Now for the hard part.

John's boots made a metallic thud with each step, vibrating along the surface of the metal not completely covered in vines. Rose chimed softly as he continued, indicating his next steps and the speed at which he should continue, and after a few minutes had passed John began to relax. That was, until the wind picked up. It howled, causing a loud creaking sound when the bridge shifted against the walls of the cliffs on either side of the chasm. The flow of gravity here seemed to be tugging in little bursts as well, like some sort of undulating pull against his body. It was making it hard to concentrate and not feel sea-sick. It appeared to be shifting the metal he walked across as well, giving the sensation of being in shallow waves at the beach as he kept walking. It made his footsteps uneven, and Rose chimed warnings a few times when he drifted too close to the edge. He righted his path and continued on, making sure to let out a bit of cable behind him every few feet or so. This was worth it, he kept telling himself. This was so much faster than walking through the forest. It was saving so much time. Just a little bit further and he'd be fully across, and then before he knew it he'd be at his destination. He could do this. He could-

The next gust of wind howled loudly as it swept by, practically picking him up off of the metal. Then with the next gale it actually did - the combination of the upwind and the lesser gravity lifting his boots a few inches off of the metal framework and vines. For a few seconds he was suspended in the air. He let out a startled shout, hunching over and grasping at the vines until the wind passed and the gravity felt heavy again. Damn it all, he was going be sick... He reached up, pressing his hand over his mask and closing his eyes, trying to remember to breathe. This was terrifying, why did he do this. He should have just gone to Kankri, asked to walk through his territory for a few days. The way the Fein had helped him before, surely he would have allowed John to-

The wind picked up again, shifting the metal to one side as it crested, and John lurched forward. Despite Rose immediately warning him to slow down he'd made up his mind, deciding it was better to get to his feet and run across the land-bridge than take his time and suffer through any more of this. Running was something John was good at. Loosing his footing and floating mid-air across several feet of metal was, however, decidedly _not_ something John was good at. He let out a terrified screech and landed hard against the bridge, rolling a few times before the rope at his waist caught him. He'd almost forgotten he was tethered. He took hold of the cable and got to his feet, checking to see how much further he had to go. He was over half-way to the other side. He could see where the land-bridge met the cliff-side. It looked like the vines had...shifted down a bit. Maybe from how hard he'd landed? Feeling a chill race up his spine, he carefully started forward again. He really, really, _really_ did not want to fall into whatever abyss lay below him. Vivid imagery of plummeting to his death was making his stomach twist with anxiety. Rose was in his ear suddenly, grounding him back to reality.

 _All updates requested from system mainframe are now completed. Please proceed to highlighted route, Captain. Your pace has put your scheduled time of arrival ahead at 39 minutes._

John focused his sights on the neon green before him, making note he was currently in the yellow. He shifted his steps back to the safe zone and continued forward. The wind wasn't so bad now, but that moment he'd been airborne had been absolutely terrifying. And amazing. Ridiculously amazing. It was like playing around in the anti-gravity training rooms back on Earth. Floating around that chamber while preparing to voyage into space had unquestionably been one of his favorite experiences. Here, it had happened involuntarily and startled him. But if he could discover the pattern to the planet's shifting gravity, then somehow harness enough knowledge to manipulate it, control it. He laughed at the thought, continuing slowly forward. "If I were more knowledgeable about engineering, I might just be able to figure out a way to fly. How cool would that be?"

 _Autopilot interface actively recording all data during first-hand experienced gravity jumps. Push and pull while rising to the crest of each wave should enable short intervals where simulated flying is possible. More data is needed for prolonged gravity manipulation tactics._

John grinned behind his mask, sighing shakily and pressing forward. "Let me know if you find anything interesting, Rose. If I'm stuck here forever, learning how to fly will be at the top of my to do list."

 _Affirmative Captain. Data compilation will continue until otherwise instructed._

The sights kept a steady path of green stretching out before him for a while before flickering and changing to yellow. There wasn't a safe zone here. The vines closer to the other side were the only thing underfoot as John reached the end of the metal framework. The land-bridge of woven vines swayed with the smallest breeze, like a hammock in the wind. Checking his safety catch with a few little tugs against the cable, he took a moment to steady himself then cracked his knuckles and soldiered on. "Okay John, you can do this. Just...go slow." He shifted forward slowly, testing his weight against the vines. The wind was docile for now, and so while he had the courage to do so he pushed himself forward, holding his hands out on either side to try and keep his balance. He was wobbly, but successfully managed to make it nearly to the other side before the wind rose up again. This time, the swinging bridge of vines under his feet, John was helpless to remain upright. He fell to his knees, grasping at the vines as the wind and altered gravity lifted him into a floating position, gasping and clenching so tightly his gloves audibly stretched with a dull creak. He looked around, trying not to freak out, and then started laughing. Softly at first, then louder with more intensity. This was insane. "Rose! Tell me you're getting this?"

 _Monitoring first-hand experiences closely, Captain._

"This is great!" He held his breath for a moment, feeling elation this time in the place of terror, and when the gravity fell again this time he landed much smoother. Weird, it felt different this time. Like he was still sinking... He gasped, glancing up just as his vision went red with warnings and an alarm sounded in his ear.

 _Warning, integrity of the bridge has weakened. Recommending immediate-_

The wind chose that exact moment to sweep underfoot, and with John trying to get his footing he had nothing to hold onto. He was lifted into the air, cradled for a moment in slow-motion, the glint of the suns shining brilliant white-gold against his sights. It was eerily silent for a few heartbeats, then when gravity released him again he fell hard onto his back, crying out sharply while desperately trying to find something stable to hold onto. The vines keeping the bridge suspended above the ravine slowly snapped one by one away from the rocks they'd grown and rooted into. Rose was still echoing in his ears but he couldn't hear her, all he could hear was his own breathing, his own heartbeat. He was frozen, but he knew he had to move. Get up, get up, _get up_! He scrambled to his feet, seeking out any path he could to get to the other side. He was so close, he'd come so far, there was no way he could back out now! He let out as much slack as he could on the rope keeping him anchored to the other side, then took off at a run again. If he had to jump the last bit to reach solid ground again he'd do it. It was a last ditch effort, but at the very least he had to try. Falling down into the ravine, even with the emergency safety catch, was something he wanted to avoid at all costs.

Getting across the last part of the bridge was a blur. Adrenaline coursing through his veins, he glanced up with wide eyes, reaching out a hand to grasp at the side of the cliff before him. Shit, he was going to have to climb to get to level ground. The vines were still snapping, sinking the bridge lower and lower into the ravine. He was running out of time. He flicked the hidden switches on his thumbs and reached out to cling to the rock with his spiked gloves, lifting himself up off of the vines even as they continued to snap around him. He kicked his boots into the cliff, making foot-holds for himself, but as the vines broke away the rock began to loosen and crumble around him. He grit his teeth, making new hand-holds and foot-holds as he went, slipping down the rock even with the hooks protruding from his palms and the toes of his boots. This was not good. He glanced up, searching for another hand-hold, and a vine above him snapped and sent small rocks showering down on top of him. He clung to the wall, the whole bridge shifting and swaying dramatically as another gale swept by, then when a larger vine snapped above him the heavy weight of it fell directly on top of him and nearly broke him away from the wall. He slid down several feet, managing to halt his fall by shoving his hand into a large crack between the rocks where a vine had been rooted before.

His breathing was erratic, sweat slick against his forehead and cheeks beneath his impact helmet. Then as the bridge snapped away those final few vines and began to fall into the chasm, his emergency cable became entwined with one of the vines. The rope suddenly went taut and tugged him away from the wall as it fell, twisted with loose vines, to the ground far below. All John remembered was the wind being ripped out of him as his hands came free from the rock wall. Then being upside down mid-air, his sights scanning the pools of acid far below, watching the way the bridge fragments broke apart and landed thunderously amidst the slime littering the valley floor. The way the green pools splashed, flooding the valley floor, the slime shimmering in the shadows of the towering cliffs above...it was almost pretty. Emerald glitter in the dark. For a moment his scanner seemed to pick up on something unusual, yellow lights flickering among all the red warnings blinding his vision, but it disappeared a moment later. Funny, he was falling to what was likely his death and his sights were still doing their job - recording information, taking in each and every detail. He wondered if his records with Rose would ever be found by another wandering researcher lost in space. If this would be the final chapter for his ship, his crew. He wondered if anyone even knew his name.

In a flash everything stopped moving. He jerked to a halt, his arm caught on something. Had he managed to grasp a hand-hold in the rocks again? He tore his eyes away from the ravine, looking up towards the sky, eyes widening when he realized it wasn't the cliff he was clinging to. It was a Fein. Karkat. His breath caught in his throat, the alien reaching down and cutting him free of the cable that was dragging him down into the chasm with razor-sharp claws, then tugging him up easily as if he weighed absolutely nothing. Karkat...was floating in mid-air. They were floating. Caught between two waves of gravity. The Fein kept a firm grip on his arm, watching him, ears perked towards him while John gathered enough wits to speak. To say anything. But he couldn't, just choked on a sob, reaching out and clinging to Karkat's arm as the Fein held him suspended in mid-air. The bridge was still falling, rocks from the cliffs still tumbling down into the pools below. Karkat chirped a few times, trying to speak to him, but John was not in the right mindset to think about retrieving the translators and so he wasn't able to understand what Karkat was saying. The Fein eventually shifted his grip to John's shoulder and tugged him up towards the sunlight, then settled the two of them back on solid ground after what seemed like an eternity hovering in weakened gravity. The bat watched him, John still clinging to his arm, and then finally the two met each other's eyes and John could only smile and laugh weakly between relieved sobs.

"I was...so fucking...scared..."

He reached down, threading his fingers in that weird, moving grass. The little tendrils wrapped around his fingers in a light embrace, and John finally realized that the flora must have evolved to help keep things on the ground when the gravity was weak. It was trying to keep him from floating away. He let himself cry, let all that tension and relief wash over him and out of his system, his goggles ventilating the fog he was creating and absorbing his tears. He sniffed and absently wiped at his face, though his goggles and mask were in the way for the most part. So he settled for reigning in his breathing and composing himself the best he could before looking up to meet Karkat's eyes again. He let out a shaky exhale then dug into his chest compartment, retrieving the two buds and offering one to the Fein while pressing its twin to his ear. A few chimes later and the devices were connected, Rose's voice ringing in his ears again.

 _Pairing successful. Proceed with experimental communications._

"What the actual fuck do you think you were doing out there?!"

John's eyes widened, mouth open to speak, but Karkat was there first with a frenzy of questions. He sounded...angry, almost. Definitely upset.

"Do you have any clue as to how dangerous it is _walking_ on something like that? Above a fucking pit? Are all humans complete and utter idiots or are you just a rare unfortunate breed representing your species to the rest of the galaxy? Unbelievable!"

"Karkat, I-"

"If I hadn't been there, you would have been crushed, strangled, drowned, buried alive, who knows what could have happened! Do you understand the danger you just put yourself through? And for what? I left you alone on _purpose_ so those from the clutch would _help_ you, idiot! I saw Kankri bring you back the other night, I know he helped you when you got lost in the forest! Why didn't you take the long way around? The safe way? Why are you even trying to explore the rest of this ancient wreck anyway there's _nothing here_ I've been through the carnage a million times since I was outcast! Are you insane?!"

John lifted his hands, trying to calm down the alien ranting before him. Karkat was flushed, his eyes narrowed into the smallest slits John had ever seen, his fangs bared and arms waving wildly with broad gestures as he continued to give John a colorful earful. Even with the translators doing their thing he was still having a hard time keeping up, especially with some of Karkat's more choice curses. A few must not be translating correctly, or the words just didn't exist, because some of the clicks and chirps merely left gaps in Karkat's speech. Maybe because the previous conversations Doctor Harley had with her companions didn't have anything comparable for the translators to refer to? John just waited, listening, watching Karkat and blinking away the last of his tears in awe of the creature before him. Then he laughed, softly at first, then growing more hearty as Karkat's voice slowly softened then stopped completely. The bat was frowning at him, fangs giving him a little pout, and John just shook his head and finally stood to his feet. He took a few steps closer to Karkat, then reached out and touched his arm, careful that the spikes in his gloves were retracted. He wondered if he had hurt Karkat before, when he'd held onto him during the fall.

"Thank you, Karkat. Thank you so much for saving me."

Karkat let out a soft warble. Embarrassed, maybe? He watched John, pivoting his ears towards the human and finally softening his features.

"Don't do something like that again, alright? You aren't built like us. You're...fragile. You just got here, I don't want you to die already."

"I don't want to die either. I'm sorry." He let out a long sigh, squeezing Karkat's arm a bit before he spoke again. "I didn't mean to upset you. I'll be more careful from now on."

Karkat turned his ears away, one tilted to the side while the other shifted back towards John again. "You put yourself in danger over nothing. What were you trying to achieve, did you come all this way just to see more of your ship?"

That's right. He'd made it to the other side. He released his hold on Karkat, turning to look to the wreckage nearby. He tapped his optics, calling out for assistance.

"Rose, can you find a way into the hull from here?"

 _Highlighting path to main doors in ten seconds. Inner chamber contaminated due to exposure to alien atmosphere. Breathing mask required. No fuel cells detected in immediate area. It is safe to proceed to bridge via highlighted path._

Once his sights were aligned John turned away from the cliffs and began walking across the grass towards the ship. He glanced back to Karkat with a smile, nodding towards the direction he was heading. "Come with me, if you've explored here before maybe you can help me. I'm looking for the bridge, where the Captain's logs are saved in the ship's mainframe computer. It should hold information on where we are, how I got here, and the reason why my ship crashed on your planet in the first place."

Karkat tilted his head a bit, flicking his ears to and fro for a moment before following after John. "What does it matter, these ruins are ancient. All that information is from ages ago..."

"I need answers, Karkat. I have to know." John climbed up onto the first series of vines, heading towards the top of the fragmented dome that had once been the main hull. "I'm the only human alive on your planet, right? I want to know what happened to those who were here before me. I need to know."

Karkat watched John for a moment then started walking up the side of the ship. He was barefoot, John noticed, and the claws on his feet were big, much bigger than those on his hands. He didn't seem to follow the same rules of gravity as John, who was practically crawling up the vines to reach the top level. By the time he was on his feet again Karkat was circling the dome, looking for a way inside. He found one after a moment, looking over at John before jumping down into the chamber below. John walked over to the edge, looking down into the interior. Karkat was already wandering off, and John clambered down after him, falling on a thick later of plush ferns and soft moss with a little grunt. He struggled to his feet and followed after Karkat, who was walking through the darkness without hesitation. John reached up and tapped his goggles to switch to low-light readings, and then hurried after his companion.

"How did you grab me like that, before? When we were in the air?"

Karkat glanced back at John, slowing his steps until the human caught up. The corridor they wandered down was quiet, empty. The lights didn't seem to be working, and John could hear the dripping of water somewhere in the background. "What do you mean, how?"

John thought for a moment, trying to find the right words. "Humans...can't do that. We can't just float like that. Or fly. Anything to do with defying gravity, we have a hard time with."

"Fein learn to read the waves, feel for them. You can sense them in the air. When you feel the crest rise and fall, you can ride them." He looked to John, obviously amused, his lip curled up over one fang. "Even small pups know this. Some Fein can merely float, others can shift their own center of gravity with the pull. They can ride the waves higher than trees. This is what you mean when you say "fly", right? When the height of the wave takes you far above the ground?"

John nodded, following Karkat as they continued into the depths of the ship. The Fein seemed as if he knew where to go, and for now John was content in following after him. He was still a bit shaken from the incident with the land-bridge. "Flying is something humans have reached for as long as we've existed, and you basically did just that. You caught me like it was nothing. You were so strong..." He gasped softly, "That reminds me! The door to the pod room, that door was sealed shut when I awoke. Did you...break the seal to come find me?"

Karkat paused his steps, hesitating before looking at John. His ears were twitching, twisting this way and that before settling back slightly as if worried the human was upset. "Yes, the doors were shut before. I opened them. I followed your scent, that is how I found you after we saw one another that first time."

"I thought so." John offered a little smile. "It's alright, I'm not mad or anything. It's just that, before you broke the seal that entire hallway was airtight with stable oxygen levels. Now, I have to wear my mask when I'm outside of the bunker or med-bay. Do you think you could help me fix it later, when I head back? Your strength seems to be a lot greater than mine."

Karkat watched John for a long moment then nodded. "If you think I can help, then I will try." He turned from John, looking ahead, nodding towards the doors at the end of the hallway. They were pried open slightly, and the path Rose had shown him before matched up with this area as well. This...was it. They'd reached the bridge. John stepped closer, squeezing through the gap in the doors and looking around the large room. There was a giant screen in the middle of the room, a few books here and there, papers and sketches. Empty cans and bottles here and there. They must have been here, Dirk, Jade, and the others who had survived that decade on this planet, cut off from the only world they'd ever known. It was solemn here, quiet. Eerie. Like a tomb. "I told you before, there's nothing here." Karkat was fiddling with a stack of papers nearby, his back to John. "I've been outcast long enough to have explored every inch of this place on my own."

John frowned a little, glancing around. The power was cut off here for some reason, this area wasn't like the area he'd awoken in at all. "Rose? Can you power on the main grid so I can access the mainframe?"

Rose was silent for a moment before replying. _Engineering Personnel_ _Operations Manager Dirk Strider disabled power to the mainframe as a precautionary measure. Engineering Systems Operator fail-safe orders can be contradicted and overridden by First Captain permissions. Do you wish to return power to the main hull and restore operations to the bridge?_

"But why would he have disabled it in the first place?"

Rose didn't reply, merely continued with her previous statement. _Please confirm your consent to Operational Management Guide System R.O.S.E. - Starfleet Regulation Autopilot Communications System. First Captain John Egbert, do you consent?_

"Override whatever you need to, get the power back online. You have my full understanding and express consent."

Karkat was near the big screen in the middle of the room when the power began flickering back to life. There was something coming out of the speakers in bits of static and music, and the Fein immediately ducked his ears, pressing them down close to his skull and covering them with his hands, backing away from the monitor quickly before it whirred to life. The screen lit up first, then the surrounding modules. Then the entire wing began lighting up like a Christmas Tree - multicolored lights flashing and twinkling in the darkness before the overhead lights buzzed to life and lit up the domed chamber. Karkat hissed for a moment before blinking at the lights until his eyes adjusted, then he padded over to the monitor again when the audio corrected itself and the picture cleared. It was a group of humans, talking together. A recording of some kind of meeting. Dirk was there, and Jade. The others John didn't recognize. There was a hologram in the middle of the room, bringing up a picture of the planet and the ship wreckage littered across the surface.

 _"We have looked everywhere we can think of. We just can't find any other survivors."_

 _"There were hundreds of soul aboard the Mondrogosa. You're telling me we should just give up? Just because the pods we have found so far haven't-"_

 _"Every. Single. Pod. Every single one we have checked, that has read positive for a life signal, has been wrong. There are pods scattered for hundreds of miles in every direction. We cannot keep running around on wild goose chases. Jane nearly lost an arm during that last run, and Roxy..."_

 _"Roxy did what she had to do. We can't change her decision. She made up her mind."_

John walked closer, standing near Karkat. He glanced over at the Fein, who was watching the screen with interest. The translator seemed to be working well enough for him to listen to the audio playback too.

 _"Regardless, we can't just give up. We have to keep searching. Keep trying to do what we can for the others that are still out there. My brother wouldn't give up on me if he were the one awake and I was still out there, asleep somewhere in the wilds. Who knows how long it'll be before-"_

The audio cut out with a bit of static and the video skipped ahead a few frames before shutting off completely. A menu popped up on one side of the screen, showing that the contents of the mainframe were slowly reloading. It would take some time before John could access all of the data files, but there was only one he was really searching for.

"Can you show me what happened the night of the crash?"

Rose was silent for a moment before the screen flickered with feedback then an image of Jupiter appeared. Holy shit, this was it. This was right before they were set to dock for their mission on Ganymede. There wasn't any audio, it was quiet. Then a shooting star streaked by. Then another. Coming from the direction of the sun, shooting out towards Neptune. There was a blinding light, then a shower of debris coming from behind, pushing the ship forward, propelling it through space. John turned away from the video feed, moving to a large hologram table in the middle of the room where the Captain's starfleet maps were stored. As the video played out, it showed the ship moving through the Milky Way, through uncharted space John knew nothing about, before finally landing in a galaxy he didn't recognize. It was...not too far from the Milky Way, zoomed out like this. But John knew enough about galaxies to know they were eons apart even if on the charts the distance looked relatively small. From this point, he couldn't even make out the planets he knew. He reached out, poking at the hologram so it zoomed in on the galaxy they currently resided in. He zoomed in further, glancing over at Karkat when the Fein joined him.

"So this is us, there. Two moons, right?"

Karkat nodded, his eyes narrowing a bit and his ears flicking before he too reached out to touch the hologram. It responded to his touch, zooming in further to focus on the planet and the surrounding satellites. "Yeah. This is home. There are other Fein here, and here." He pointed out two other planets nearby. One was smaller, and did not have a moon. The other was about the same size, and had three moons instead of two. They all seemed to be clustered together, orbiting around one another, sharing some central point of magnetic pull. Karkat shifted and zoomed in a bit more to see the details of his home planet. He seemed fascinated, as if he'd never seen his home world in such a way before. "Outside of that, I don't know much. If you were to travel to High Society, they might be able to tell you more. I've never seen a platform like this before, but I've heard tales that the Fein in High Society have access to maps like these."

"High Society?"

"Yes. I...haven't been there. But all Fein know of High Society." Karkat moved both hands over the surface of the hologram, zooming in further on the map. The mountains were visible now, the forests, valleys. The ocean. It looked like strange mirror version of earth, though all the continents were different shapes and the coloration of everything was odd. "This. This is High Society." He pointed to a cluster of lights in the mountains, a giant city under what looked like an artificial biome dome. "It is a place where elite clutches are bred and held. Rarities. Most omega travel there, live their entire lives there. Alphas too." He pulled back his hands, crossing them over his chest absently and looking to John. "It's rare now for traditional clutches to exist outside of High Society. My former clutch, Kankri's clutch...it is one of the few traditional remaining in the wilds."

John was trying his best to keep up, but this was a lot of new information he wasn't quite sure what to do with. "So...there are alphas...and omegas. And this place, this is for the elite Fein. It's like their own little paradise?" From the look of the artificial dome surrounding the entire area, they must have advanced technology. Perhaps the dome was to shield them from the fluctuating gravity?

"There are betas too of course, but they're the norm. They inhabit most of the planet." Karkat began looking around again, wandering around the other side of the hologram table and examining the map while speaking. "Omega and alpha are dying out, they're uncommon. High Society accepts them all, regardless of their clans, their clutch, their colors, ears, or fins..." Karkat gestured to the smaller set of ears on either side of his skull. "Mine are relatively normal. One point fins are the most common, I should say. Two-point fins are rare, and some even have webbed fins that fan out and expand with multiple points. These mutations are regarded as rarities. They treat us like collectors items." His tone was...bitter. John couldn't quite place it. He made it sound like this place was not all what it made itself out to be. Not a sanctuary, but a cage. The Fein continued with a little bit of annoyance in his voice, his ears flicking now an then as he reached out and poked at the map once more. "Certain colors are in high demand too. I know dusk is hard to come by, speckled, rouge." He flicked his eyes up to meet John's, his crimson irises glowing faintly with reflections of the hologram. "High Society asks for any and all omega and alpha to come to them, to be assigned to one another. To breed together, and prolong the life of our species." He chuckled softly, but it was a hollow sound. "Once there are only beta left on this planet, our species will slowly begin to wither and die. Then fade completely. There will be nothing left of us. It will be as if we never existed at all." He sighed, spinning the planet in a slow circle, examining the various biomes strewn across the surface of the world. There were so many clusters of lights, so many cities. Karkat focused on one area, zooming in. It was dark for the most part, with very few lights. Karkat spun the image around slightly and John gasped when he recognized the ravine. There they were, that was the ship. The lights from the captain's bridge were easily visible in the darkness surrounding the forest. Karkat spoke up again after a long pause, frowning and prodding with his claws at the ruins of the ship. "It's pointless. The end of our species is inevitable. The fact that they gather us together and force us to breed with strangers is absurd."

John looked up from the map, following Karkat's gaze. He looked angry, but he was being so quiet about it. There was something he wasn't understanding about the information Karkat was giving him. "So you and Kankri...with those red eyes. You're considered rarities meant for High Society? Why are you out here then? It seems like this area is about as far away from any kind of society as you can get."

Karkat shrugged, dismissive. "Kankri is the Belladonna of the clutch. He found his Prima, he is happy with his life. He wants for nothing. The traditional values of the wilds appeal to him."

He tried to get his companion to open up a bit more, poking a little at the map and trying to sort out where Kankri's clutch might be hiding in the forest. "Yeah, but what does all of that mean? I get a clutch is what you call your village or people, but what do the other words mean? I overheard Kankri saying his Prima was his alpha, does it have something to do with that?"

Karkat nodded absently, glancing away. His ears were lowered a bit, and he seemed uncomfortable for some reason, but he continued to answer John's questions. "Kankri is the head omega of my former clutch. They refer to that position as Belladonna in traditional clans. The head alpha of the clutch is known as the Primadonna. Some go as Bella or Prima, if they prefer not to speak their full title at all times. It is up to their preference, and the clutch will respect and follow whatever they say." His voice was soft, almost reverent. "The clutch will always respect and follow all things regarding their Prima and chosen Belladonna. That is tradition. They are valued in the clutch above all else."

John laughed a bit, trying to lighten the mood. "It sort of seemed like Kankri was a big deal. With the way he talked, and acted. He had guards with him too, when he found me in the woods."

"He is a big deal, I suppose." Karkat mused, his ears pivoting forward. "Being Belladonna comes with a lot of responsibility. He does the best he can. He does what he thinks is right, anyway."

John was quiet for a long while, just watching Karkat. He wasn't sure if he should ask about anything so personal so soon, but he really wanted to ask Karkat why he was out here all alone. Karkat didn't seem comfortable with this line of questioning, but he hadn't downright refused John information, and he was more than grateful for the insight on the alien society he had been thrown into. He looked around the bridge, glancing towards the screen nearby to see how many videos were finished loading. He walked back to the monitor and selected the next video in sequence after the crash. It looked a bit shaky, like someone was walking around with a hand-held recording device. A girl's voice was calling out softly in the audio. It was a foreign language John couldn't understand, but the translator device picked up on it well enough to give him bits and pieces while she wandered the wreckage. She was lost, confused. Looking for someone. John flicked through the next few video segments. Most were the same. The crew waking up, searching for other survivors, trying to figure out what happened and where they were. It felt...strange, watching others go through the same ordeal he had just dealt with himself. But comforting as well, in some twisted way.

"I was expecting you to ask me about being outcast."

John froze momentarily, his back to Karkat. He listened to the sounds of footsteps drawing closer, looking over at the Fein as he approached. He laughed somewhat nervously, relaxing again, reaching up and rubbing at the back of his neck sheepishly. "Ah, that. I wasn't sure if you wanted to talk about it or not. I'll gladly listen, if you want to share that with me. But I don't want to pry. You've already told me so much about your world. I have a lot to learn, I guess."

"You have lifetimes of information at your fingertips. I'm sure you'll catch up."

Karkat's tone was lighter this time, and he flashed his fangs in a little smile. John smiled too, laughing a bit and nodding. "Thanks for coming with me, this was...nice. Having someone to talk to."

The Fein nodded, one of his ears tilting to the side as he broke eye contact and looked towards the doors. "I...should go. I've lingered long enough. No doubt the clutch heard the bridge fall. Patrols will likely be out, Kankri will have sent them looking for you to make sure you're alright. We can't be seen together."

"Karkat?" John started, but the Fein was already walking towards the door. "Wait, please? I...I don't really know how to get back from here." Karkat paused, glancing over his shoulder and meeting John's eyes. It wasn't...completely a lie. Sure, he had Rose to guide him, but that wasn't what he was getting at. "I can't stay here for more than a few days, I only brought provisions for a short trip." He paused, biting his lip, then tried again while walking closer. "This side of the ship seems dead compared to where I've been staying. Kind of...creepy, being in here alone." He grinned a bit, hoping Karkat would offer to stay. Did he really need to ask so directly? How embarrassing, he felt like such a child not wanting to be left alone in his own ship. But the air in here was...different. There were so many memories here, so much lingering from those who had passed on. He almost felt as if he were trespassing on something that should remain untouched.

Karkat lingered in the doorway, thinking no doubt. He stepped away from the door, took a few steps towards the human before him, and then with a long sigh he said softly, "I never much liked being alone in here either." He tucked his ears back briefly before lifting them again, focusing his attention on John. "I'll stay, but I'm warning you. It is dangerous being with me. Spending time with me can only end badly for you, John."

John let out a little relieved sigh, grinning and reaching out to pat Karkat's arm. "Don't worry, it's plenty dangerous without you around too. At least you'll be close by to keep me out of trouble!"

Karkat laughed, and it was such a brilliant sound, a mix of a warble and chirp that was more birdsong than alien. It had John beaming behind his mask. Maybe this was the start of something new he could hold onto, if there was nothing to go back to. He had to make a new future for himself. Hopefully Karkat would be along for the ride too.

* * *

John's finally reached the bridge, but the information he's getting from the mainframe seems like it might be a dead end after all. Karkat, however, is full of interesting new information. Could High Society's advanced technology hold secrets about the humans that came before him? With help from his new companion, can John find a place for himself in an alien world? More next time. -Opal


End file.
